Main > Everything Else
Is a Computer Engineering degree worth it?
ChadTower:
--- Quote from: (+_+) on December 08, 2008, 01:40:30 pm ---I read it years back and no matter how much I love games (and believe me I do) and my desire to write games, it scared me away taking the plunge. I believe I was about 30 at the time. 60 to 80 hour weeks, lower salary than other IT areas. This is especially truth at the intro level.
--- End quote ---
That's pretty much right and what moved me away from that field. Not a ton of it to be had in MA anyway but what I was able to find around here was all very long hours and lower pay than the same level of programming in any other area. They count on the fact that guys want to do it rather than just want to make a living. I have a wife and kids I'd rather be with.
RayB:
--- Quote from: pcolson on December 08, 2008, 01:18:15 pm ---Yeah, that is what made me start thinking about making a change.
--- End quote ---
On the other hand, will those 90% lazy asses actually get jobs? Good jobs? Get promoted, etc? Could be good for you after all. ;)
ark_ader:
I'm a big believer when it comes to computer or IT related skills, that you should have experience. The only way to get that experience is working with the material in a live environment. The catch 22 is getting employed when you have no skills. So I always advise people who are truly or keenly interested in the field, is to go into self study.
All my main core IT skills I achieved was in doing. Of coarse most of the technologies that are in use today did not exist when I started out, but when something new arrived I was on the scene. My genre was networking. I could foresee networking being the next big thing, next to computer repair. The level of study was incredible.
If I have to guide someone today, I would advise self study. Build a lab and get some experience, join a start up or temp into an existing company via helpdesk. Get the degree when you can afford it. I cannot remember how many clueless dolts I had to train who had degrees fresh from college. They knew the mechanics, but could not put into practice any current skills in a live environment.
Yes there is something to having a Computer Science degree. An employer will look at that degree thinking the guy or gal had what it took to achieve the goal, and would take that achievement and use it for the good of the company. Or a degree can put you on a short list of candidates suitable for the job. I don't believe in that crap.
I hire people that have the experience or the desire to learn. the cost of getting the degree in the first place should be enough to deter most in this most saturated field.
So nope it is not worth it, until you are a skilled and successful IT tech, and want the challenge to cap off your skills when you are older and more patient to get anything from it. :)
Paul Olson:
I'm already there with the older part. I graduated from High School around the time most of the kids at school were born. I am already 2 years into it, so I will be getting a degree, the only question is which one. I have a friend who is a game developer, and I will be having a long chat with him pretty soon. I signed up for an intro class on the video game emphasis. It will be interesting if nothing else, although it did bump me up to 20 credits for the semester.
I tried to work for a long time without going to school, and I don't think it is worth it. Most people who are good at what they do will do pretty well without a degree, but they would be better off with the degree. In our society, that diploma is worth a lot, whether trying to find a job, or trying to get promoted later. I do agree about waiting though. A lot of the kids at school don't really want to learn anything, and they don't try. The older guys like me, who have had crappy jobs for 20 years or so, well, we are just a lot more motivated to learn.
I switched my schedule today. Just the idea of taking classes that interest me was enough to help me make the decision. I don't know how it will turn out, but the idea of actually having a job that is line with my interests is very nice. It sounds like the job market is actually pretty good around here, so that is a plus also. It will take a lot more work now, but I am way more willing to work hard at something I enjoy.
It has been about a year since I took a programming class, I guess I better do a bit of self-study over the break. :)
DaveStall:
We hire both Computer and Electrical Engineers where I work (I am a EE myself) and the core classes are pretty much the same. When you get into the last year and a half or so, when the EEs are taking more advanced electrical classes, the computer engineering guys are taking programming classes. One thing to note however is that the level of programming you get into isn't nearly as deep as a computer science major would be taking. We would never consider hiring a computer engineer to do serious code work. If you are really serious of getting into game development you would be much better served by getting a computer science degree. Regardless, all three choices are good ones as the number of people graduating in electrical engineering and computer science is so low right now that companies are not able to fill their needs. Unless the economy completely disintegrates, you won't have any problem getting a job in either engineering choice or computer science.
Then again, with the amount of work we might be seeing in infrastructure development over the next few years, civil engineering might be a pretty decent field to be in as well.
Dave
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[*] Previous page
Go to full version