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Advice please

  • 28-01-2009 7:40am
    #1
    monosharp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,981 ✭✭✭


    Alright lads,

    I'm in Asia atm and for the foreseeable future. Just got hitched to a local.

    My background -> Computer Science graduate with two years working in the industry. Software Engineering in R&D. Decided to travel, went to Asia, got married.

    Current Job -> Teaching English.

    Problem -> I don't hate teaching English, its just mind-numbingly boring and I'm starting to worry about my career in IT. I haven't touched code nor compiler in over a year for anything but playing around with. I think it borders on impossible to get work out here if your a foreigner in any industry besides teaching English unless you speak the language fluently.

    Solution -> ???

    Possible solution #1 -> Panic, leave my wife, change my name and fly home/some other English speaking country where I can get an IT related job.

    Possible solution #2 -> Do a masters/PHD through distance. Is this possible ? Has anyone done it ? With what University ? How much does it cost ? How long does it take ? Is a distance masters/phd worth the paper its printed on ? Can I do a masters/phd through research ?

    This idea was floated to me in my final year of my BSc.

    Research masters/phd -> I was promised the moon, stars and sun by the guy in charge of research at my IT. I could do a research masters in my own time, from anywhere in the world, through a University at home and it was as easy as clicking your fingers to get AND I'd get paid (a little) for it.

    Reality -> I spent 6-7 months emailing 6-7 different University professors about 20 different ideas I had, asking them about research projects THEY wanted and I got maybe 6-7 replies. In fairness most replies seemed genuinely interested in some of my ideas but wouldn't do it through distance. i.e > Wanted to see me face to face at least once a month/2 months etc.

    So here I am, desperate for a solution.

    I am really worried about my career, I had only 2 years experience and now I've been out of the industry for over a year. I probably will have to remain here (in Asia) for at least another 2 years for my wife.

    Can someone please help me out ?

    Surely to God there is some University/Company willing to give me a research idea and proceed through distance ? I don't want payment, I'll do it for free at this stage I'm so frustrated.

    I used to work in research and development so I'm well accustomed to having to learn new technologies and proceed 'into the unknown' so to speak.

    Can anyone please give me some advice or answer any of my questions ?

    Thanks a lot guys.


Comments

  • #2
    BuffyBot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,924 ✭✭✭✭BuffyBot


    monosharp wrote: »
    Alright lads,

    I'm in Asia atm and for the foreseeable future. Just got hitched to a local.

    Current Job -> Teaching English.

    Problem -> I don't hate teaching English, its just mind-numbingly boring and I'm starting to worry about my career in IT. I haven't touched code nor compiler in over a year for anything but playing around with. I think it borders on impossible to get work out here if your a foreigner in any industry besides teaching English unless you speak the language fluently.

    The first thing that comes to mind is maybe take a crash course in the local language and then get relevant work. It might be cheaper and easier to sort out!
    Solution -> ???

    Possible solution #1 -> Panic, leave my wife, change my name and fly home/some other English speaking country where I can get an IT related job.

    Drastic, not quite sure I'd recommend it as a course of action.
    Possible solution #2 -> Do a masters/PHD through distance. Is this possible ?
    How much does it cost ? How long does it take ? Is a distance masters/phd worth the paper its printed on ? Can I do a masters/phd through research ?

    It all depends on the institution, really (in terms of cost, length, academic value etc and whether they offer research Masters). Your location may me a problem as may the cost (I'm assuming teaching English isn't particularly lucrative!). I don't know where in Asia you are, and whether any local institutions would work for you.


  • #3
    monosharp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,981 ✭✭✭monosharp


    BuffyBot wrote: »
    The first thing that comes to mind is maybe take a crash course in the local language and then get relevant work. It might be cheaper and easier to sort out!

    1. I could (and plan to) take a crash course in the language, but I'd need to be fluent before they'd even consider me. Why employ me when there are thousands of just as qualified locals here ? They have a closed society and will always employ their own before a foreigner unless their own can't do the job. i.e > teach english.

    The only way I'd get a job at the moment is if they specifically needed a native english speaker with an IT qualification for some reason. (not likely)

    2. The wages are crap and you work like a dog. I know engineers here whose normal hours are 8am to 10pm every single day including Saturday. You don't get overtime pay. I'm in Korea and people here work longer hours then anyone else in the world by far!

    Koreans work on average 2,390 hours a year, the next closest is Poland with 1,984. Ireland is 1,541.
    It all depends on the institution, really (in terms of cost, length, academic value etc and whether they offer research Masters). Your location may me a problem as may the cost (I'm assuming teaching English isn't particularly lucrative!). I don't know where in Asia you are, and whether any local institutions would work for you.

    I'm in Seoul, Korea. Actually teaching English is ok money. The money factor is not a problem, just the distance.

    Any Universities you know would work with the distance ?


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