Computer studies

[MikeP]

I did it that way too, but it's much simplier now all online. But you do have to have the right kind of mind and thought processes for the job. A monkey can learn to write code, it's figuring out what's the most effective way to write it that's hard.

 

[elrey]

Hope you remembered to number those cards! Learnt by doing, after dropping my stack. Aah, Fortran, Cobol, time sharing. Fond memories, but only memories as time marches on. MikePis dead on! Learning to think and problem solving is paramount. Creativity also can be fostered. These foreign kids are both smart and hungry. The competition will be fierce in the future. A large kit bag of skills will be necessary to survive. Flexibility and versatility, along with good communication skills would serve him well. Getting along with others will also help. Last of all , but most important, his learning to manage any internal demons he may carry should smooth his path. Good luck to your boy! --elrey

 

[PC]

That may not, but having a knowledge of cobol, jcl, IMS and DB2 don't hurt.
Still a lot of large organizations using that stuff, as well as web based products.

Back in 1999 a COBOL programmer who had been working his tail off fixing bugs ahead of Y2K decided he didn't want to deal with the aftermath of all the systems that people were putting off updating.

So he had himself cryogenically frozen, with the intention of getting thawed out in 2002 to avoid the hassles.

He wakes up, bleary eyed and groggy, then asks the doctors how things went.

doctor: Well, there was a bit of a glitch in the freezer software. It didn't wake you up in 2002.

programmer: Oh no! What year is it?

doctor: 2999.

programmer: 2999!? It woke me up in 2999!?

doctor: No. We had to search through the storage facility and override the system to wake you up manually.

programmer: Why did you you decide to that now?

doctor: We heard you knew COBOL.

 

[JodyFKerr]

I'll provide my $.02 of recommendations.

If it's classes instead of a class, then take one class in programming, a second in networking/hardware management (whatever the kids call it these days).

For the programming class, it needs to be a formal language with object oriented programming, preferrably a compiled language. The main industry mainstays are C# (Microsoft .NET platform) and Java. The language itself is not important, the fundamental underpinning of programming methodology are. If you learn this correctly, then you can do it in any language.

For the networking class it's important to understand how a network comes together, how to construct it and how all the equipment communicates. It should teach the basics of admin as well as an understanding of how TCP/IP, UDP, etc work. In today's world it's also important to understand the overlying HTTP protocol.

The single best thing any person vcan do when entering the "computer industry" is immediatly get a wide exposure to the many elements involved. The biggest challenge I face on a daily basis is working with programmers with no understanding of networking, database engineers with no understanding of programming OR networking, and network engineers with no idea of the first two items. It will likely be that if your son remains interested in the field he will naturally gravitate to what interests him most, but only if he gets that exposure.

Also, make sure that he understands that alomost every school that offers classes in these fields are horrifyingly out of date. When I made my singular attempt at pursuing a computer science degree in 1997 I was forced to take COBOL (which is 99% useless to most of the world, in my segment of the industry it's actually useful) and I took a "new" course offering in JAVA which was taught by the former FORTAN professor who had no concept of how an object oriented programming language was used.

Finally, the absolute best thing he can do is start self educating on the side. Experience is a far better teacher.

 

[elrey]

Wholeheartedly. Great advice Jody! --elrey