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Ok, I poke this in Tyla and Bob's general direction, but anyone else's opinion would be gratefully recieved.
If two applicants for a job came to you (presuming your the employer) and one had a proper, full UCAS approved Degree in Computer Sciences, and the other had a non-UCAS degree, but the degree was approved by the BCS and had a lot of work experience and training at IBM, who would you be more impressed with?
I'm looking into my future a bit and looking at a few courses, and one or two have stood out. Just want to get some opinions from someone who's been there and done that..
If two applicants for a job came to you (presuming your the employer) and one had a proper, full UCAS approved Degree in Computer Sciences, and the other had a non-UCAS degree, but the degree was approved by the BCS and had a lot of work experience and training at IBM, who would you be more impressed with?
I'm looking into my future a bit and looking at a few courses, and one or two have stood out. Just want to get some opinions from someone who's been there and done that..
Whooo Style! wrote:
> The idea is that you do two days at university learning
> the theory, the rest you spend at IBM assigned to a
> department and getting training and experience.
Sounds good, I remember looking at a course like that, but it was more like, you did your degree for 2 years, went to work for a company for a year, then came back and finished your degree in the forth year.
> Its NOT UCAS approved, but has the backing of the BCS.
Hmmm, nobody has ever asked me if my degree is UCAS approved, you should consider just not mentioning that fact in interviews, but be honest if they ask you directly about it.
> Sounds good to me, and at the end if IBM think I'm good
> enough they'll offer me a job, apparently.
Don't count on that, but do keep a "portfolio" of all the work that you do, especially code that you write or designs that you have input on, try to come out of it with a solid "product" that you can show potential employers.
> The idea is that you do two days at university learning
> the theory, the rest you spend at IBM assigned to a
> department and getting training and experience.
Sounds good, I remember looking at a course like that, but it was more like, you did your degree for 2 years, went to work for a company for a year, then came back and finished your degree in the forth year.
> Its NOT UCAS approved, but has the backing of the BCS.
Hmmm, nobody has ever asked me if my degree is UCAS approved, you should consider just not mentioning that fact in interviews, but be honest if they ask you directly about it.
> Sounds good to me, and at the end if IBM think I'm good
> enough they'll offer me a job, apparently.
Don't count on that, but do keep a "portfolio" of all the work that you do, especially code that you write or designs that you have input on, try to come out of it with a solid "product" that you can show potential employers.
Hope you enjoy it :) i've seen a few of those around, most intresting was www.beinit.com surprisingly they teach people to make websites, although theirs isn't too impressive...
students appear tohave had nice jobs afterwards though, could be the lucky few that already know people in the business.
students appear tohave had nice jobs afterwards though, could be the lucky few that already know people in the business.
The course I'm looking at is run by Portsmouth University and IBM. The idea is that you do two days at university learning the theory, the rest you spend at IBM assigned to a department and getting training and experience. Its NOT UCAS approved, but has the backing of the BCS. Sounds good to me, and at the end if IBM think I'm good enough they'll offer me a job, apparently.
I'd go with Tyla on this one, the guy with real world experience every time! I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Computing in general is one of the last remaining areas of work where pure skill and determination can get you just as far, if not further than qualifications.
If you can show live examples of what you can do, you will stand head-and-shoulders above somebody fresh out of Uni.
How do you get BCS recognition but not UCAS recognition??!
If you can show live examples of what you can do, you will stand head-and-shoulders above somebody fresh out of Uni.
How do you get BCS recognition but not UCAS recognition??!
Dr. Duck wrote:
> Oh, jumping on the bandwagon (if it's okay), is there any hope for a web designer with knowledge of HTML, dHTML, PHP, flash and stuff, but no related qualifications to get a steady (non-freelance) job in the web design/technician area? Or could the required qualifications be easily gained?
Already mentioned my Quals in my previous reply...
As for previous jobs:
Mechanical Design Engineer - Used to design Plastic Reclamation Machinery
Manager of a Vending Refurbishment Firm - You know those guns in bars that dispense coke.. Well I used to run a firm that refurbished them
Youth Worker - WOrked for a while in a Dropin Center
Graphic Designer - Pervious Job to this one where I discovered the internet
Now...
Soon to be...
Creative Developer!!! and all my formal quals... 6 GCSE's 2 Alevels, 1 BtEC, 2 NVQ's and a G&C in AutoCad!!
If you have a proven portfolio, preferably containing some commercial work as opposed to "from my bedroom", then your chances are pretty high. I landed my job because my creativity scared my boss and she thought it was safer to employ it than send it to another firm!:-)
Know your stuff too, ignore all of this WYSIWYG stuff, master the art of hand coding to the extreem, this does impress future employers as it demonstrates that you do really know your stuff instead of relying on Manuals etc.
***Disclaimer** I have never once set foot in a University!!***
> Oh, jumping on the bandwagon (if it's okay), is there any hope for a web designer with knowledge of HTML, dHTML, PHP, flash and stuff, but no related qualifications to get a steady (non-freelance) job in the web design/technician area? Or could the required qualifications be easily gained?
Already mentioned my Quals in my previous reply...
As for previous jobs:
Mechanical Design Engineer - Used to design Plastic Reclamation Machinery
Manager of a Vending Refurbishment Firm - You know those guns in bars that dispense coke.. Well I used to run a firm that refurbished them
Youth Worker - WOrked for a while in a Dropin Center
Graphic Designer - Pervious Job to this one where I discovered the internet
Now...
Soon to be...
Creative Developer!!! and all my formal quals... 6 GCSE's 2 Alevels, 1 BtEC, 2 NVQ's and a G&C in AutoCad!!
If you have a proven portfolio, preferably containing some commercial work as opposed to "from my bedroom", then your chances are pretty high. I landed my job because my creativity scared my boss and she thought it was safer to employ it than send it to another firm!:-)
Know your stuff too, ignore all of this WYSIWYG stuff, master the art of hand coding to the extreem, this does impress future employers as it demonstrates that you do really know your stuff instead of relying on Manuals etc.
***Disclaimer** I have never once set foot in a University!!***
Whooo Style! wrote:
> If two applicants for a job came to you (presuming your the employer) and one had a proper, full UCAS approved Degree in Computer Sciences, and the other had a non-UCAS degree, but the degree was approved by the BCS and had a lot of work experience and training at IBM, who would you be more impressed with?
The guy with the Work Exp as long as he had a proven background in the area he wants to work in etc...
>I'm looking into my future a bit and looking at a few courses, and one or two have stood out. Just want to get some opinions from someone who's been there and done that..
I have no formal "Web" qualifications, nor IT come to think of it. I have an NVQ3 in HTML and a couple of A levels in Art and a BTec in Graphic Design but thats about it!!
On the job experience is more valuable than a piece of paper telling you that "In Theory" you can do it.
Here, we always go for those who can prove their skills in the real world as opposed to their papers.
You'd be surprised what jobs I've had over the last 9 years!!
> If two applicants for a job came to you (presuming your the employer) and one had a proper, full UCAS approved Degree in Computer Sciences, and the other had a non-UCAS degree, but the degree was approved by the BCS and had a lot of work experience and training at IBM, who would you be more impressed with?
The guy with the Work Exp as long as he had a proven background in the area he wants to work in etc...
>I'm looking into my future a bit and looking at a few courses, and one or two have stood out. Just want to get some opinions from someone who's been there and done that..
I have no formal "Web" qualifications, nor IT come to think of it. I have an NVQ3 in HTML and a couple of A levels in Art and a BTec in Graphic Design but thats about it!!
On the job experience is more valuable than a piece of paper telling you that "In Theory" you can do it.
Here, we always go for those who can prove their skills in the real world as opposed to their papers.
You'd be surprised what jobs I've had over the last 9 years!!
Oh, jumping on the bandwagon (if it's okay), is there any hope for a web designer with knowledge of HTML, dHTML, PHP, flash and stuff, but no related qualifications to get a steady (non-freelance) job in the web design/technician area? Or could the required qualifications be easily gained?
Sorry to interupt, but i was about to post something like this anyway, after i've spoken to my uni's careers advisor in a couple of days anyhow, and it seemed sensible to bunch it all together.
Sorry to interupt, but i was about to post something like this anyway, after i've spoken to my uni's careers advisor in a couple of days anyhow, and it seemed sensible to bunch it all together.
Ok, I poke this in Tyla and Bob's general direction, but anyone else's opinion would be gratefully recieved.
If two applicants for a job came to you (presuming your the employer) and one had a proper, full UCAS approved Degree in Computer Sciences, and the other had a non-UCAS degree, but the degree was approved by the BCS and had a lot of work experience and training at IBM, who would you be more impressed with?
I'm looking into my future a bit and looking at a few courses, and one or two have stood out. Just want to get some opinions from someone who's been there and done that..
If two applicants for a job came to you (presuming your the employer) and one had a proper, full UCAS approved Degree in Computer Sciences, and the other had a non-UCAS degree, but the degree was approved by the BCS and had a lot of work experience and training at IBM, who would you be more impressed with?
I'm looking into my future a bit and looking at a few courses, and one or two have stood out. Just want to get some opinions from someone who's been there and done that..