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Do post-grad diploma courses in IT/software engineering enhance job prospects?

  • 28-05-2020 8:51am
    #1
    rusty the athlete
    Registered Users Posts: 129 ✭✭


    I wonder if anyone has an opinion or experience after getting a post grad diploma in IT/software engineering whether this improves or otherwise enhances one's chances of finding employment in IT. I guess one must also consider that its possible to get such a diploma even if ones first degree is in no way IT related. I would really welcome any observations on this topic. Thanks.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    ec18
    Registered Users Posts: 2,700 ✭✭✭ec18


    Do you have a primary degree? or any experience of a programming language?

    Generally what I've found in the last two years ago is a general shift away from formal qualifications being the must have they were. Experience and interest along with competence based interviewing have become more important.

    So if you have a proven knowledge base and experience in coding then no. But if it's an area you want to get into and are coming from a different field then yes depending on where you go


  • #3
    rusty the athlete
    Registered Users Posts: 129 ✭✭rusty the athlete


    ec18 wrote: »
    Do you have a primary degree? or any experience of a programming language?


    I'm actually asking on behalf of a family member who is considering this. She is graduating with a degree in aviation studies but obviously the prospects are very bleak there right now and for the foreseeable future. Some of this course was quite quantitative (modelling, operations) but there was no programming languages covered.


  • #4
    JustAThought
    Registered Users Posts: 5,323 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    she did an unrelated degree to software but someone wants her now to work in that area? If you had a chance to employ someone with a 3
    or 4 year software degree and a postgrad OR someone with no interest, no relevant undergraduate qualification and an add on on-line night course as an afterthought who would you employ from the thousands?


  • #5
    db
    Registered Users Posts: 1,078 ✭✭✭db


    I did a similar course and interviewed for roles where some applicants had completed the course. They weren't hired for the job. I found a lot of the content was entry level but even still most of the people on the course I did could not write code when they finished. Of the 20 on the course about 5 were doing it to get the certification and already had the knowledge, of the others maybe 3 were capable of moving to a junior IT role at the end.


  • #6
    WengerOutIn
    Registered Users Posts: 97 ✭✭WengerOutIn


    I came from a humanities background, did a 1 year conversion MSc in software development and was offered a job before the course was even finished. There was loads of people on the same course who were offered jobs within three months of starting the actual course. I have been in the industry for 5 years now. If she works hard at whatever IT course she does and gets good grades, she will get a job in IT.


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  • #7
    paddyb
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭paddyb


    To be honest, when hiring I don't even check if people have a degree or not. As the poster above said, interest, knowledge and experience are the important things. If you have not had too many jobs, something like an active GitHub profile will help.


  • #8
    rusty the athlete
    Registered Users Posts: 129 ✭✭rusty the athlete


    WengerOutIn wrote: »
    There was loads of people on the same course who were offered jobs within three months.
    I agree, my other girl did arts then the MSc and was employed two weeks after the course finished. It was the diploma I was concerned about, obviously not as deep as the MSc.


  • #9
    WengerOutIn
    Registered Users Posts: 97 ✭✭WengerOutIn


    What does the dip entail? it is a question of getting a good angle and then finding a niche area to get into.


  • #10
    rusty the athlete
    Registered Users Posts: 129 ✭✭rusty the athlete


    WengerOutIn wrote: »
    What does the dip entail? .
    It looks a pretty basic covering of OSs, OOP esp Java, distributed systems, OOD and AI.


  • #11
    WengerOutIn
    Registered Users Posts: 97 ✭✭WengerOutIn


    rusty the athlete wrote: »
    It looks a pretty basic covering of OSs, OOP esp Java, distributed systems, OOD and AI.
    That seems ok, once you get a good intro. If she tops up with courses online just to get a taste for other languages/environments (Python is a good language to get a handle on). Is it a part-time or full-time course? It is tough going back into college, but it is worth it. P


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  • #12
    CBear1993
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,397 ✭✭✭CBear1993


    Were these on springboard by any chance? Looking at them for next year.


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