Career Change into Software Development

Branoic

Looking for some advice here -

I graduated 13 years ago with a BSc Degree in Communications Studies (Journalism). I never made real use of that qualification as I ended up having some serious financial commitments sooner than expected and starting a career in journalism involved years of internship and / or very low paid positions. Instead I fell into a better paid sales job in a financial services company.

Problem is, I am totally not a sales person and I hate my job. I've been in the same job for the last 10 years, I'm 35 now and I had a panic attack a month or two ago when I suddenly woke up and realised that I'd wasted the last 10 years of my professional life and needed to get out of sales asap before I wasted another 10 and the chance to retrain and be employable was lost completely.

I've always been interested in computers, technology the web and software, and I am thinking I'd like to retrain and go into software development. I hear there's loads of jobs in software development but I want to find out how true that is for someone like me who is retraining from scratch, and the best way to go about it.

Any new qualification I undertake would more than likely need to be distance learning. I need to continue working in my current job full time and I don't live in Dublin or near any other town / city with a 3rd level college, so I can't make it to evening classes.

I was looking at something like the online mentored course offered by Code Institute. They've got a 3 month full time bootcamp based in Dublin (which I can't do) or a 6 - 9 month online distance learning programme (which I could do). They have fancy testimonials of 94% of their graduates getting employment in their new field within weeks of leaving. Not sure how true that is or how people view their programmes? They seem to be industry-backed, but not sure if it's better to get a distance-learning qualification from a more traditional 3rd level institute instead?

How would people recommend I go about this?

Senna

I can't speak for any online accredited courses, but I started out doing a couple of Java youtube video courses, I'd recommend "the new boston".
Coding can be hard to pick up and if you don't have someone to bounce questions off, you can fall behind very quickly.
I then started a PT software development course in a local college (45 minutes away), I found it much easier to be in a class room setting than learning by myself at home.
I recommend starting some free online course and see first if it appeals to you.

As for job, there are loads of jobs for experienced people, graduate places are more limited, but if you work hard and have decent interviewing skills, you will be ahead of many of the 20yr olds who seem to lack social skills.

I went back to college at 35, about to start my 3rd year but I got a job in a rural area with a US multinational a few months ago, I'm in infrastructure more than development but that leap with be easier once I finish my course.

Tom Dunne

Take a look at https://www.springboardcourses.ie/ - there are a large number of conversion courses for people in your situation (i.e. a primary degree in another area, looking to move into IT).

Branoic

I thought you needed to be unemployed for Springboard?

Senna

Springboard course are all full time too

2RockMountain

Is there anyway you can combine your skills? Software or IT services sales? Web content writing or training others in writing quality content?

Tom Dunne

Branoic wrote: »

I thought you needed to be unemployed for Springboard?

No, I don't believe that is the case.

Senna wrote: »

Springboard course are all full time too

No, see here for one example off the top of my head - http://springboardcourses.ie/details/4563

Branoic

Thanks for that Tom, seems like there are a lot of part-time IT conversion Springboard courses which are open to people in employment and delivered online. Definitely something I'll be looking into in more detail.

Not sure about combining existing experience - I haven't written anything in over a decade, and I hate sales, so I'm really looking to get reskilled in a complete change.

2RockMountain

Branoic wrote: »

Not sure about combining existing experience - I haven't written anything in over a decade, and I hate sales, so I'm really looking to get reskilled in a complete change.

It's your choice of course, but if you make a complete change, you'll be starting at the bottom. If you can leverage your existing experience, you might be able to start somewhere in the middle.

RedXIV

Senna wrote: »

As for job, there are loads of jobs for experienced people, graduate places are more limited, but if you work hard and have decent interviewing skills, you will be ahead of many of the 20yr olds who seem to lack social skills.

Don't underestimate how poorly grads straight out of college interview. We were hiring them recently and some of the answers from the young ones :eek:

Hired a girl who did the same as you and she's plowing through work at the moment!

pauliebdub

Just a word of warning about IT , a lot of people go into IT as they think it has great career prospects but turn out to not have any aptitude for it and either fail the course/drop out or end up in a job that they hate.

My advice before plunging into a long term course would be to learn a language yourself from books or you tube. Something like Java, PHP, html or whatever you're interested in.

Branoic

pauliebdub wrote: »

Just a word of warning about IT , a lot of people go into IT as they think it has great career prospects but turn out to not have any aptitude for it and either fail the course/drop out or end up in a job that they hate.

My advice before plunging into a long term course would be to learn a language yourself from books or you tube. Something like Java, PHP, html or whatever you're interested in.

Yes good advice, thanks. I'd been thinking of doing some free Code Academy courses before deciding on anything formal.

Senna

RedXIV wrote: »

Don't underestimate how poorly grads straight out of college interview. We were hiring them recently and some of the answers from the young ones :eek:

You should start a new thread on this to keep us entertained.

wigsa100

Senna wrote: »

You should start a new thread on this to keep us entertained.

On a serious note, I and I'm sure plenty of other people who have looked at this thread because they're in a similar situation would really appreciate hearing about your experience, if you wouldn't mind keeping us updated!

scamalert

To OP age isnt a limit to get career change or into IT,biggest issue i found that SP courses are almost like full time work,even studying at your own pace your looking at massive hours.


now second drawback,is that many IT companies are clustered around Dublin,Cork and other larger IT points,thus in many cases it might mean commute of few hours at least each day,unless you happen to live to close by business.


And last thing to consider is that while 20y old might have not much skills,but they have fresh degrees,thus less hassle since they might be already preped for position they apply for.Since otherwise any,and i mean any IT job if you look up online now asks for years of experience 3-5 years seems minimum-and 3-4 certs on top depending on what area you apply for.
Since while programming might seem interesting,in most cases its skill show off thats major factor on who lands the job.


That said dont be put off by above,since seen people with no skills get into IT and age isnt limit,if you have passion and time,then years or also heard Springboard is rolling back out 2yr courses in some IT areas with some jobs alligned,thus if can afford time,to invest go for it just be sure youll like it,since otherwise you might end up in job which youll hate few years later again.

kumarGG

Springboardcourse..best choice.

kumarGG

you don't need to take full time course, you can follow some online courses whenever you get some time..don't be panic as you are already interested with computer programming, you will settle easily.

Hollister11

Try treehouse. Its €20 a month and worth every cent.