Advice please, software developer course in fas

vimal_andrew

Please advice, is there any benefit in doing the software developer training course at fas. Will i get a job?

Tar.Aldarion

That alone will not get you a job, will it look good that you are doing something while looking for a job, yes. That or adding to open source projects or making an app etc while you look for a job will help when they ask what you are up.

SilverScreen

vimal_andrew wrote: »

Please advice, is there any benefit in doing the software developer training course at fas. Will i get a job?

I don't think a software developer course with FAS will get you a job too easily. When you're applying for developer roles you are going to be at a serious disadvantage against people with a MSc or Bachelors degree. I'd strongly recommend looking into college software courses rather than FAS if you want to get into development.

GreenWolfe

I was on a similar FÁS course. Looking for work experience/internships etc was fraught with difficulty.

It didn't help that most companies weren't willing to take anyone on without a third-level qualification (just for a month's work experience, btw). The companies that I approached indicated that the primary third-level qualification didn't necessarily have to be software related. Also, there were a few people in the course who had qualifications from outside Europe, and I remember they had difficulty getting their qualifications recognised here in Ireland.

It also didn't help that in my case FÁS did almost nothing to help people get interviews for work placements. Obviously, that doesn't mean your own job search isn't required. I just think that if you're at the stage where you're on a FÁS course, I think an extra leg-up is needed. Especially if the course you're on is aimed at recent school-leavers or people changing careers.

Companies that responded said that the time-scale for the course that I was on didn't help either, because they didn't take on interns/grads outside of the summer months. Timing issues could be another big disadvantage.

I'm on a Masters now, and I'm matched up to a company so that helps a lot. The whole experience was something I never, ever want to repeat.

EDIT: The FÁS course ended mid-to-late 2012, so what I've posted is fairly recent.

oeb

Zero1986 wrote: »

I don't think a software developer course with FAS will get you a job too easily. When you're applying for developer roles you are going to be at a serious disadvantage against people with a MSc or Bachelors degree. I'd strongly recommend looking into college software courses rather than FAS if you want to get into development.

I did a pretty good one in Cork about 10 years ago. I found it particuarly handy as I had not went to college and was self thought, so I found it difficult getting work as I had no certification or work experience. The 9 month course included MCP and Sun Certified programmer certification, and my lecturer was happy to allow me to do higher level City & Guilds exams than the rest of the class.

In addition to this, the course had a work experience requirement, which left me with something for my CV afterwards.

What is actually covered on the course in general may be a little basic, but if you are prepared to work your ass off outside of the course and your instructor is good (I found the chap who thought mine to be a fantastic resource) you can get a lot out of it.

Logical_Bear

Im kinda i the same boat,have 2 java oracle certs but no degree.havent had a job interview yet.Have been applying for internships too

A start up company in dublin actually rang me back and he said generally they only take grads for entry level position but that he has previously hired people with a decent porfolio that didnt have a degree.

So basically im working on getting a few projects onto github and have applied as a mature student to kevin street to do CS

ChRoMe

Logical_Bear wrote: »

A start up company in dublin actually rang me back and he said generally they only take grads for entry level position but that he has previously hired people with a decent porfolio that didnt have a degree.

That happens very frequently, tbh a good portfolio will trump someone with a degree and no personal projects at all in most managers eyes.

CreepingDeath

ChRoMe wrote: »

That happens very frequently, tbh a good portfolio will trump someone with a degree and no personal projects at all in most managers eyes.

I'm not sure what you base that on.

I'd say that only applies to small companies who have more discretion on who they hire.
Larger companies with formal HR departments will screen CV's, so that a development manager won't even see the ones who don't have degrees.

Also, companies will indicate to recruitment agencies that they require a degree, so the recruitment agencies won't forward on the CV's either.

In general it's sometimes beneficial to start in a small company where you have to do more work on all areas of the product, as opposed to a larger development department that might pigeon hole you into working with the web front end, or database layer etc.

SalteeDog

Varies. For a permanent position a degree is usually required. For contract work having a track record of decent experience counts for much more. And, usually having a foot in the door helps you if a permanent position comes up while you are on contract.

srsly78

SalteeDog wrote: »

Varies. For a permanent position a degree is usually required. For contract work having a track record of decent experience counts for much more. And, usually having a foot in the door helps you if a permanent position comes up while you are on contract.

Most contractors I know would have started their careers with various permanent roles.

Most contractors I know also would laugh if you offered them a permanent position :pac:

SalteeDog

srsly78 wrote: »

Most contractors I know would have started their careers with various permanent roles.

Most contractors I know also would laugh if you offered them a permanent position :pac:

Yeah, that's true too. I was thinking of folks at the start of their career with perhaps 1 or 2 years experience who cannot command a good rate,

ChRoMe

CreepingDeath wrote: »

I'm not sure what you base that on.

Ten years in development, without a degree. I've also been involved in the hiring process for several of my employers.

YMMV, etc.

oeb

ChRoMe wrote: »

Ten years in development, without a degree. I've also been involved in the hiring process for several of my employers.

YMMV, etc.

I 100% agree with ChRoMe here, I'm in the same boat, 10 years experience, no degree, involved in the hiring process and I'm ALWAYS called for an interview when I apply for a role. (Well, 4 times out of 5 anyway)

Creamy Goodness

CreepingDeath wrote: »

I'm not sure what you base that on.

I'd say that only applies to small companies who have more discretion on who they hire.
Larger companies with formal HR departments will screen CV's, so that a development manager won't even see the ones who don't have degrees.

Who says you have to go through HR to get to talk to the development manager? I met mine in a pub :pac:

franktheplank

If you already have a degree a lot of colleges now are doing one year conversion courses which are free as part of the Springboard initiative. I'm doing one at the mo, it's pretty intensive, tough work but we're learning an awful lot.

+ Most of the employers I spoke to at a recent recruitment fair seemed happy to take people from these courses for graduate positions.