Java Programming Career help

Herb_ezy

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If anyone could help with information or guidance on how to start up with building a career in Java programming and if there are short cuts that doesn't involve going back to varsity to get another degree because I already have 1 in accounting, please help
 
If anyone could help with information or guidance on how to start up with building a career in Java programming and if there are short cuts that doesn't involve going back to varsity to get another degree because I already have 1 in accounting, please help

Unfortunately your degree in Accounting isn't going to help at all for programming. Had you come from a science background then maybe as there at least you would have developed some problem solving skills. First place here would be a degree. If you have programming experience in another language then you could try teach yourself Java, but you'll struggle to get a job with just that.
 
I'd recommend first getting certified by Oracle.
Its mostly study-at-your-own-time kind of thing, book a time and write a test.

Do you have programming(in any language) background?
 
I don't know that that many new systems are really being built using Java. I'm sure there are some, but this is hardly the late 90's where java was the answer to everything. This means the majority of the work available will likely tend towards maintaining existing systems. while i don't care for java or c# myself, i suspect the work available locally is more microsoft oriented, but conversely there is probably more competition for those positions too.

Software developers are often expected to pick up several languages over the course of their career, so maybe you need to question why you specifically picked Java as your first language.

Still, i would absolutely avoid going for another degree. That's a waste of several years that you could be spending more productively by actually writing code.

I also recommend finding local java meetups and interest groups, and networking to get to know the people involved in the industry locally.

Your degree in accounting isn't completely useless though, as it actually represents a pretty solid amount of domain knowledge, and might enable you to find a decent job in the financial industry. Accountants who can program are a much rarer commodity than programmers who understand accounting.
 
I don't know that that many new systems are really being built using Java. I'm sure there are some, but this is hardly the late 90's where java was the answer to everything. .....

Disagree.

Check my thread where I'm moving my development career path to Java.
 
If anyone could help with information or guidance on how to start up with building a career in Java programming and if there are short cuts that doesn't involve going back to varsity to get another degree because I already have 1 in accounting, please help

Go to coursera.org and sign up for the Android app development courses (its free). Its a very crude introduction but will get you started.

Don't feel your degree will count against you, a lot of employers don't care what you studied but that you did study and yours could help you land a job in the a company doing development on financial systems.

There are hundreds of resources on the internet but definitely doing an Oracle course will help you the most.
 
I don't know that that many new systems are really being built using Java. I'm sure there are some, but this is hardly the late 90's where java was the answer to everything. This means the majority of the work available will likely tend towards maintaining existing systems. while i don't care for java or c# myself, i suspect the work available locally is more microsoft oriented, but conversely there is probably more competition for those positions too.

Software developers are often expected to pick up several languages over the course of their career, so maybe you need to question why you specifically picked Java as your first language.

Java still seems to be going strong in the companies I've seen. I've even heard of companies with a shortage of Java developers. Microsoft would mean a Windows Server and ain't nobody got time for that :p

I agree fully with that 2nd paragraph though. Being a developer these days doesn't necessarily mean you apply to program in language X and that's all you do. From my experience (only 2 years so far), I applied with the intention of doing C# but have since worked with C#, Adobe Air, Java, HTML/JS/CSS, DB2/MSSQL/MySQL. So you pretty much just need that ability to problem solve and then you're expected to pick up the rest as you go.
 
I have a degree in Accounting. Don't be put off by the negative comments about it. It actually gives you an edge in programming that most developers don't have. In financial services. Focus on software development in financial services. In addition to java, get certified in Oracle database development.

Financial services and database development go together. For a java developer, Oracle database is a natural fit. Maybe MySQL, but Oracle much much more so in financial services. In fact these days a programming language without a skill in a database that is appropriate for that language, is a major hinderance and cuts you out of a significant number of job opportunities.

I have had no problem getting a programming job with an accounting degree in SA or the UK.
 
I don't know that that many new systems are really being built using Java. I'm sure there are some, but this is hardly the late 90's where java was the answer to everything. This means the majority of the work available will likely tend towards maintaining existing systems. while i don't care for java or c# myself, i suspect the work available locally is more microsoft oriented, but conversely there is probably more competition for those positions too.

Software developers are often expected to pick up several languages over the course of their career, so maybe you need to question why you specifically picked Java as your first language.

Still, i would absolutely avoid going for another degree. That's a waste of several years that you could be spending more productively by actually writing code.

I also recommend finding local java meetups and interest groups, and networking to get to know the people involved in the industry locally.

Your degree in accounting isn't completely useless though, as it actually represents a pretty solid amount of domain knowledge, and might enable you to find a decent job in the financial industry. Accountants who can program are a much rarer commodity than programmers who understand accounting.

Well for one thing Android is programmed in Java, so there is no shortage there.

EBay, NetFlix, Amazon and LinkedIn are all built on J2EE technology.

And JavaFX 8.0 is being released to hopefully take a swipe at the cross platform applications industry.
 
You want to get the Oracle certification. You can self study using books and the internet or do a course at intec or damelin or something like that. This is what I did (10 years ago) and I've been working as a java developer for 10 years now.
 
It is very important to note that a degree commits only to a small part of a developers credibility.

Many good developers came into this craft from other professions or came to this craft through self study.

Here are some pointers on your road to becoming a developer.

Languages are the least important part of development
If you choose Java, C# or Ruby now it does not mean you will only be doing any of them for the rest of your career.
Core concepts like design patterns and test driven development can be translated to any language and you should spend at least some of your time focusing on them http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Code-Handbook-Software-Craftsmanship/dp/0132350882.

The best way to learn is to make.
Make things; build software on your own.
Applicants who have built software on their own, will often be preferred over students who might have a degree but no functional software to speak of.

Passion and dedication are key indicators of a good developer.
Developers who are passionate and energetic find solutions to impossible problems.
They do this because they empower themselves and their teams and create an environment of success.

You are the only one who can decide wether you are making progress or not
 
If anyone could help with information or guidance on how to start up with building a career in Java programming and if there are short cuts that doesn't involve going back to varsity to get another degree because I already have 1 in accounting, please help

I worked on this one project with a close friend of mine, who was a final year accounting student. I used Java as my choice of programming to help him with an accounting program, which we published on the Android Market (it's about R250 once-off to sign-up). We had good support from many people - which also welcomed critics. Unisa offers a super-awesome course in Android development using the Eclipse IDE and Java programming language. I'm not to sure if it is available as a short course, as it is relatively new
 
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Im a manager at Audit firm.. Have my honours accounting degree and articles... and doing part time MIT at UCT.. someone here mentioned it.. Worth a look but you probably dont have an honours degree. As for accounting degree... HUGE help... Many programmers that dont understand finance...so in business/finance sector it makes a huge difference...
 
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