Hi all. This is my first time posting on the IT board. I'm usually lurking about on the Distance Ed board here. Anyway, here is my situation. I'm a 40-year-old journalist who has been working in the field for more than 20 years. I do not have any type of college degree at all, not even an Associates, although I do have 58 journalism/broadcasting/communication credits I picked up in the military (ACE reviewed). I'm currently looking into enrolling in either a b&m or DL program to FINALLY get my Bachelors. Initially, I was considering getting a BA in either Journalism or Communications. However, the money in this profession is not as good as you might think, and I am considering a career change. It's not just a monetary thing...I am truly interested in doing something else for a living. I have been investigating a few different career options. One of the fields I have been looking into is Computer Science/Software Engineering. I like that fact that those in the field could conceivably work on everything from video games to alternative energy systems. I have done some research with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it is forecasting a lot of job growth in this area. There also seems to be a decent payscale involved. However, I know that there is often a difference between predicting future job markets and current reality. My questions: 1. Are the job opportunities in Computer Science still there, or are they being outsourced to other countries. 2. Is the payscale still good, or are salaries falling as people scramble to get the jobs that are left behind as others get outsourced? 3. Is there a DL Computer Science/Software Engineering program you would highly recommend? What was your experience with it? How long did it take you to complete? I know this is an extremely technical field and not everybody can just wake up one day and decide they are going to do it. I expect to study and work hard if this is something I decide to do. Thanks in advance for your help/advice.
My random thoughts as a 16+ year IT guy: - You could go back to school and get any degree and use the 58 credit you have (or a large portion thereof). My personal recommendation is to take an IT course or two and see if you like it enough to finish off a degree. If you don't already have a technology background you may want to do many of these courses at a B&M college so you can take advantage of the labs. You'll also see how your personality stacks up with other prospective CompSci graduates. - Software Engineering is difficult. Don't underestimate it. There's a big difference between programming and software engineering. Think about operating system kernel design. Think about math, lots of math. Think about theory that will make your head spin and your tongue hang out... - Personally, I'd go to Excelsior and get a Journalism or Communications degree and then follow it with an IT Masters. This would fit your story of a mid-career change. This assumes, however, that you aren't looking for a hands-on IT job but a management role. If you are looking at strictly a hands-on job then certifications are better to get, and not the CompTIA kind - think more like Microsoft or CISSP. These are not easy nor are they cheap, and you then have to maintain them. - You'll probably find it somewhat challenging, although not impossible, to enter the IT field at 40 if you're not leveraging something from your past. As an experienced journalist, maybe there is an IT job available in a media organization? The fact that you "know" their business would make you an asset and give you an edge over a 23ish raw recruit who knows technology but maybe not too much about journalism. At the very least it would give you a bridge between your current profession and IT - you could move on in 2-3 years to another industry. - I don't know what you make now, but you'd be starting at entry-level...and probably earn not much more than now. Don't think that when you finish a CompSci degree there's a $100k job out there waiting for you, unless you have some specialized skill. - Given your experience and (presumably) maturity, you may want to look into something like IT Project Management, as these jobs can't be outsourced (like programming or web design). You can start out by taking classes or pursuing a degree (such as a Masters in Project Mgt) later and then go for PMP certification. Please don't get me wrong - there's nothing stopping you from having huge success in IT (I know people that came from very esoteric backgrounds like music to do well in IT) but it's important to look beyond mere labor statistics. Good luck! Cheers, Mark
