[clovaks]

After spending my summer doing an IT internship and doing all sorts of things from networking, wiring cables, cable management, inventory, asset management, ect. I've realized more and more that I want to become a software engineer. Ive been wanting to be a coder for years now. Ive learned the basics of python but am not really sure where I want to go with it or even where to go with it. Ive only progressed past doing simple tasks because I cannot really find any challanging ones. (Challenging as in completable with my knowledge but still hard.)

My main goal with software engineering is:
Web development
Cheat development(Want to learn easier languages before c++)
networking tools
firewall protection services

these are just general goals that I have.

Im overall trying to figure out how to approach coding. And the best websites and places to explore.

[Aeon]

The best approach if you have prior experience is building the absolute best application you can even if its not good, learn, improve and add to it.

[BiNBo]

If you're interested in getting your foot in the door for software engineering, look into programs at companies such as Revature (https://revature.com/). They've got some excellent programs that will both prepare you for real world software engineering, and get you placed into an entry level job right away making decent money. There are a number of similar operations out there, but I've personally known several people who have gone through Revature and landed some pretty sweet gigs doing software for major companies making the big bucks within just a few years.

[clovaks]

The best approach if you have prior experience is building the absolute best application you can even if its not good, learn, improve and add to it.

okay thank you for the advice!

---

If you're interested in getting your foot in the door for software engineering, look into programs at companies such as Revature (https://revature.com/). They've got some excellent programs that will both prepare you for real world software engineering, and get you placed into an entry level job right away making decent money. There are a number of similar operations out there, but I've personally known several people who have gone through Revature and landed some pretty sweet gigs doing software for major companies making the big bucks within just a few years.

Thanks sm!

[Aeon]

okay thank you for the advice!

---

Thanks sm!

Yes sir :) lucky for us software engineering is the best job for the future.

[clovaks]

It's going to take years. You gotta keep doing projects and keep learning more advance harder tasks for a program to do.

okay thank you for the advice

[GenericSkid]

Look into programs at companies such as Revature (https://revature.com/). They've got some excellent programs that will both prepare you for real world software engineering, and get you placed into an entry level job right away making decent money.

"Excellent" sure is a word to describe Revature... Its a mixed bag at best, bottom of the barrel at worst.

Concerns

The Education - This depends on the location and your manager. If you're lucky they let you choose among a few options. Otherwise, its mostly determined by what is in demand what you'll be taught. You are expected to keep up the pace with their training, however fast or slow it is set by the manager. If you're too slow you will be kicked out. You are occasionally given quizzes on the materials learned, so you do have to commit to memorizing what they tell you.

The Pay - While under training you basically make minimum wage. Your pay increases when they assign you to contracts with other companies. However, these contracts have a catch. They are often bound to 2-ish years on average, where if you break it off early YOU have to pay THEM a fee of 46K (Per reports of ex-employees as of 2021). The contract pay rate can vary a LOT.

The Jobs - More often than not, you'll be asked to relocate to the location of the contracting company. Its on you to figure out the living situation.

Benefits

The Education - Say you don't really know what you want when diving into the realm of programming. Maybe having somebody say "here, we need X, so you're gonna learn X and then work with it on a contract when you're ready". Yet again depending on the manager, you may actually be given some modern tech stack to work with instead of some ancient cruft taught by dinosaurs in a university class.

Peers - There will be a lot of people at Revature with the same reason of being there as you. Thrive or suffer, you'll have people to do that with you. Its a fine way to expand your social network and make friends.

What you Get - Revature is only to be used as a resume builder if you have no other option. Sometimes the contract you work on will hire you off of Revature at the end. In other cases, you just apply normally with up-to-date skills and experiences you got from training and contract work while at Revature.

Summary

If you have any non-trivial degree of programming experience then you should skip Revature. If you do not have that experience, ask yourself of the conditions of the contract work you will be put under is worth the exchange as a "stepping stone" in your career path and if another form of intermediary step may be more aligned with your ability and circumstances.

[BiNBo]

"Excellent" sure is a word to describe Revature... Its a mixed bag at best, bottom of the barrel at worst.

....

A wonderful breakdown of the situation with Revature and other similar companies. There's a number these types of companies out in the field, and for anybody with a few years of professional experience it's definitely not the best choice. However, if you lack any professional experience or other means of breaking into the industry then it could potentially be a good option. I've known several individuals who've had wonderful experiences and have both seen excellent returns on their time with Revature, but that's not to say that everyone will have the same experience. I simply suggested Revature as one possible example, there are a lot of competitors who could very likely have better processes, pay scale, contracts, etc.