College Career not what I expected

LegacyUser

I’m 3 years into my college course now computer programming and it dawning on me that this career really isn’t what I wanted out of college.

I saw college as a way to get qualified in some profession and then go working on the strength of that qualification.

But I now know that my career involves constant training and updating of skill which mean ur basically in college all of ur career, I kinda knew of this at the start its only coming clear as to how much of it is involve now . I saw college as a way to pay my dues and then work from then on not go back to college ever year for some course or an other.

I really wish I had done trade now

I'm at loss what to do now, I cant turn back now..............

rs

Almost all jobs these days require a certain amount of updating these days. You could have become a mechanic, but you'd still have to learn new things as cars change and new features are added.

Once you have a good understanding of computers and programming, it's pretty easy to pick up what you need to know on the job. Once you know one or two programming languages, it's pretty easy to learn any new ones that might come along. Most of them look like C these day ( C, C++, Java, Perl, javascript, etc)

While hardware has gotten faster and software more complex, the priciples behind it all are pretty much the same. You'll find once you have a good knowledge base in computers that picking up the new stuff is not really that difficult.

Also, there are a lot of different jobs in the computer field, some of them you may like, some you will not. Not eveyone who studies computers becomes a programmer. In fact, not everyone who studies computers ends up working in a computer related job.

You are in third year, so you may as well finish it up. It may only be a piece of paper, but it's an important one and proves to an employer that you can get a job done. That alone is generally enough to get through an interview.

Kali

"I'm at loss what to do now, I cant turn back now.............."

exactly.. finish up the course then go do whatever you really want to do.. a degree itself, regardless of what it is, can be quite valuable.. and ending up regreting not finishing it would be worse in the future (for the sake of a year like).

Mr E

Doing a degree in college doesn't necessarily lock you into that career for life. I have friends who did business, marketing, law etc. who went into completely different jobs a few years after leaving college.

- Dave.

The Corinthian

Originally posted by cheated
But I now know that my career involves constant training and updating of skill which mean ur basically in college all of ur career, I kinda knew of this at the start its only coming clear as to how much of it is involve now . I saw college as a way to pay my dues and then work from then on not go back to college ever year for some course or an other.

As has been said, there’s practically no skilled occupation, be it trade or profession that does not require a certain level of retraining or research on a continual basis. Of course, if the idea of continual research in an area turns you off, then perhaps it’s an indication that it wasn’t for you to begin with.

I'm at loss what to do now, I cant turn back now..............

Of course you can. I’m a techie by profession now. Once upon a time I was a derivatives trader. Albeit not a very good one

It’s not unusual to change profession or trade completely on a number of occasions throughout your life, in particular in your twenties and thirties.

dudara

As another poster said, you only have a year left. Finish up and get your degree. That shows to any employer that youc an finish what you start. Look at what you've learnt in college besides programming etc. You've learnt to start and complete projects and by now you should possess excellent writing skills. You have learnt so much more than just the specifics of your course. Remember that.

A degree is much more than the course you did. It shows you dedicated 3/4 years to something and completed it.

Evil Phil

I'm a software engineer by profession. Yes you do have to re-train and learn new technologies all the time but you can do that by yourself outside of the classroom. Its part of the fun really. Stick out you degree no matter what you want to do. Any degree is worth something going into a new job even if its unrelated to the position you're applying for.

eth0_

Originally posted by cheated

I really wish I had done trade now

I'm at loss what to do now, I cant turn back now..............

Rubbish! You're probably, what, 21/22 now?
I did computer engineering in college and i've worked in IT since I left college, but I started a part time psychology degree with the Open University pretty much right after I started my first proper job, I should have my BSc in the next 1.5-2 years and then i'm looking at going to grad school in the UK to do medicine. I'm 23 btw.
It's definitely not too late to change career!

DadaKopf

Yup, definitely.

It should never be too late to make a career change. There's a bunch of people in my class who jacked in their long-time career to go back to college in their 40s to study third world development and go work in that area.

Career satisfaction is essential. But you have to have a plan.

If you genuinely love computers, then think of it this way: if you want to be successful and earn money, you're going to have to keep on top of things. When you start earning money, you'll think about it differently.

The money might even give you the freedom you need to consider alternatives more attractive to you, beyond just being able to buy stuff. There's really no point giving up on the course now that you've come so far.

oneweb

I've been there, done that and have the tee-, well, degree

Really only you can know for sure, but staying where you are, doing something that you've grown to dislike will kill you emotionally, mentally and academically. Having said that - it may just be worth it to have that bit of paper and letters after your name.

So many of my classmates have gone on from their IT degree to do business courses. You may never want to work in IT but having some sort of qualification will always stand to you. You've gotten this far... ...why waste it?

By the way, I persevered. And still recovering.

Ronaldo7

Know exactly where your coming from. I dropped out of second year of a four year computer science course. Im 19 btw. Will be 20 starting my business degree in september. I feel old btw going back to first year and being 20 but **** it, it has to be done. The stick i received from parents and even friends for dropping out was a lot more than i expected..."you only have two years left and you have a degree" i was told. Not really that simple i tried saying. I mean, i love computers and upgrading hardware and making pc's....for games, internet and communication. I dont like them for what there excellent at ie programming, networking etc..i decided to drop out. I know ill never work in that field and i know once you get a degree, you dont have to work at it, but i know ill be working in business and a business degree will suit me more ya know?

Just think about it clearly and make decisions. their tough but life is ticking...

Reyman

Finish the course or you're a marked man at job interviews for life!

Then start studying again at whatever you want to do ---

Hard maybe, but two disciplines is a big advantage in life in the future!

LegacyUser

i forgot to mention that i,m going the add-on route as i have acert now doing my diploma and next year i'll be doing my degree perhaps so it not as bad as dropping out of a 4 striaght throught degree....

Anyway thanx for the advice

yellum

Know where you're coming from. I started a degree in Elec Eng and jacked it in. The started comp sci and quit that. I regret it now even though the job I'm in pays well.

If I had a choice I would have finished either degree even though I absolutely hated them. Its far easier to gain employment with a full degree no matter what kind of job it is. The degree shows you can put your head down and work hard and commit to something. Its also easier to do another college course of your liking with one degree under your belt.

I'm sick of the IT industry and have made a preliminary decision to go back to college and study something for me and not for a career. I might do law, pyschology or anthropology when I go back which will be in 2005. Right now I'm working and saving for it.

KlodaX

You are not alone ... I've 12 weeks left of a s/w dev degree .... and have learn't from my years at college ... that I do not wish to work with computers.
gonna go to art college year after next ... seemingly you can use your degree to get into the higher years of another course ... so if I where you .. I'd finish the final year ... sucks I know ... but would be worth it .. for the sake of a year like.

Stark

I'm the same way, almost finished a computer science degree but am realising that not only is the market ****, but that you can't just go straight into development (which is what I want to do) without wading through the **** first. The problem is the more **** you wade through, the duller your mind gets and the less in tune you become. Really want to drop out and do something which would let me escape office politcs.

My first loves were the sciences maths, physics, biology etc. Anything that allowed me to find out about the world around me, about myself, my perception of the world around me, how alternate perceptions could exist and using empirical reasoning to free myself of the limitations my perception placed on the understanding of reality. At the time I couldn't see a viable career route at the end of it, so I went for computer programming which I also loved but at the end of the day will doom me to office politics for life.

Think the motto is, ignore what everyone says. Do what you love. You could be on minimum wage for the rest of your life (unlikely) but least you'll feel alive. Once I get enough money to go back to college, I'm probably going to do something like maths and applied maths (I used to love abstract allegbra and was top of the class against stiff competition at it so I really want to do something like that again).

Divine

Jeez it seems to be nearly all I.T. students who come accross this problem. Im 21 and a third year I.T. with Multimedia student and i really wish i could turn back the clock a couple of years and so something else?

A course that i recently learned about is Social Science and i never knew such a thing even existed. I would have loved to have done that, helping troubled teens and all that. But when you go so far there is no turning back because you'll regret it in years to come i know that cause i know so many people like it.

By the way does anyone know is it possible to change into other courses without out dropping back to first year?

Reyman

IT ---- is a nerdy game. Let's face it !

But finish your course, essential, or you'll be branded as a good for nothing!

Then get a real life, study something you like and start living!

Stark

By the way does anyone know is it possible to change into other courses without out dropping back to first year?

Quite often yes. It depends on your particular college and course, and the two courses have to be somewhat related. Sometimes you can go straight to second year in a different college. I know for some courses in UCC you can jump to 2nd year of the equivalent course in CIT.

SheroN

I'm the same way, almost finished a computer science degree but am realising that not only is the market ****, but that you can't just go straight into development (which is what I want to do) without wading through the **** first. The problem is the more **** you wade through, the duller your mind gets and the less in tune you become. Really want to drop out and do something which would let me escape office politcs.

It's not all doom and gloom there's signs of an upturn in the IT sector. I graduated last year and got a job developing.

It helps to have a positive outlook.

uberwolf

I have 3 months to go in my comp sci course. Then they're going to pat me on the back give an honours degree in science and throw me out into the world. I will be unlikely to ever use my qualifications as a computer scientist. Having a degree though says something about you that dropping out doesn't. Don't waste three years for the sake of one.

Gerry

This is what happens when you believe the hype about the "dot com" boom, and forget to consider if you actually like programming.

yellum

See thats the trouble with the points system and the career path marked out when you decide on a course.

Open days are not enough for courses. I remember an open day in UCC where the Chemistry Department were showing various things. Walking behind two staff members later they were on about how what they showed wouldn't actually be what the course would be about. It was them just marketing the course to get people.

You have to choose a career basically before you do your leaving and what it was billed as is not necessarily what its going to be when you do start the course,

I think there should be some midway thing between a strict college course and the leaving. Like first year should be a mix of a load of subjects, and after that you can choose which course you'd like to commit to. It seems a bit hopeful to think that a bunch of 17/18 yr olds know what they want to do for the rest of their life while still in school.

LegacyUser

Full time education is something you shouldn't take lightly, its only when you start working you realise how difficult it can be to go back and study.
Anyway, I did my IT course in stages, cert, diploma and then degree over a period of 5 years back in the mide 1980s. You can imagine how technology has changed since then and how often I've had to re-educate myself in various aspects of the IT industry. Don't particularly love computers and get 'annoyed' with people who torment me in my spare time for IT advice, but as for job satisfaction...you bet !!! With 15 years experience and now in a non-programming role the financial rewards are just fantastic. Forget the negative postings you see on this site where IT professionals moan about poor salarys, we all worked for a poor rate at the start of our careers. Ask any IT professional with more than 6 years good experience about their current salary and job staisfaction and I guarantee you'll hear a favourable response !