Programmer education: what diploma is needed and how to learn?
In the modern world, during the development of new technologies and informatization of society, one of the most popular and demanded professions is the profession of a programmer. In this regard, many applicants are thinking about their future careers in this area.
How to become a professional programmer? What subjects do I need to take for admission and do I need to study at a university in order to be in demand as a specialist? Read more about this in our material.
What subjects do I need to take?
Due to the fact that the profession of a programmer is very popular among young people, many universities train specialists in this field. For to enter a similar direction, you must pass an exam in subjects such as Russian, mathematics, physics and English.
However, the future programmer should not only be guided by this general rule, but also approach this issue more individually. So, some universities and institutes put forward other, more specific requirements for prospective students. For example, higher education institutions may place more emphasis on in-university introductory assignments.
One way or another, but before you start preparing for admission, you need to call or go to the admissions office of a particular university to find out all the details and details that may ultimately affect your future destiny.
Can I apply after grade 9?
Traditionally, admission to a higher educational institution is carried out after grade 11.At the same time, it is considered that it is rather difficult to enroll in a programmer, since it is necessary to have broad knowledge in exact disciplines and be fluent in English. Besides, due to the high popularity of the destination, there is a lot of competition for the place.
That is why many schoolchildren think about training as a programmer after grade 9 and are interested in how difficult it is. In order to start studying in this specialty after the 9th grade, it is important to decide on a specific educational organization.
Today, on the territory of our country, there are a large number of colleges and other secondary specialized institutions that will help you get the profession of your dreams.
Where and for how many years to study?
As we have already found out, in order to get an education in the specialty "Programmer", you need to go to colleges and universities. At the same time, depending on the chosen educational institution, on the specialty and direction of training, the terms of your training and obtaining a diploma can vary significantly.
So, traditionally in institutes and universities, in order to learn to be a programmer, you will have to spend 4-5 years. At the same time, this time period may increase if you choose not full-time, but part-time education, which can last 5-6 years.
If in order to become a programmer you decide to go to college, then your studies will take 2-3 years. After that, you can become a full-fledged participant in the labor market and find a job.
However, at the same time, it should be noted that by no means all programmers who now enjoy great success with employers, have a high status and professional respect, graduated from official educational institutions... Many of them are either completely self-taught (and examples can be found not only in our country, but all over the world), or have completed only short courses.
All this is possible due to the fact that not all employers require formal education and a diploma from programmers. A much larger number of employers will ask you to demonstrate your skills, as well as talk about your work experience.
One way or another, but it should be remembered that in order to become a qualified specialist, you need to constantly learn, improve your qualifications and master new relevant skills.
Such specialists are always appreciated among employers, and also receive an advantage among applicants who simply have a diploma.
Do you need a higher education?
A higher education for a programmer is more an opportunity than a necessity. Today in the professional environment there is no consensus on whether a diploma in a specialty is necessary... You can find both supporters and opponents of this opinion. Consider the pros and cons of higher education for programmers.
Let's start with the benefits.
- Basic knowledge. So, in the process of studying at a higher educational institution, students receive a large amount of knowledge in such basic disciplines as the basics of programming and mathematics. It is believed that without a full understanding of the fundamentals of these subjects, more advanced material cannot be taught.
- Ease of employment. Employers who see that a person has a specialized diploma have confidence in the applicant and are ready to hire him with a greater desire than a self-taught programmer. In this regard, the diploma is evidence that a person is serious about getting an education, in the course of training he also received a large number of practical skills, which is required according to educational standards and programs applied to specialists of this kind.
- The presence of connections. People with a higher education diploma have a lot of useful contacts (teachers, practice leaders, classmates).Such contacts can be useful not only for the programmer himself, but also for the employer.
At the same time, there are opponents of higher education for programmers.
- Elapsed time. The average length of study at the university for a programmer is 4 to 6 years. At the same time, not all graduates believe that the time spent was worth it. There is a widespread belief that the necessary skills can be mastered in as little as 1–2 years.
- Technical backwardness. Often, traditional higher schools do not have the latest equipment or the latest programs at their disposal. In addition, the curriculum itself is considered rather outdated. Much attention is paid to theoretical knowledge, and practice is not in such a preferred place.
- Lack of relevant specializations. The labor market for professional programmers is constantly replenished with the latest vacancies in various directions. At the same time, such specializations are absent in the curriculum. Thus, receiving a specialty at a university, a person can enter the labor market as a specialist, whose services are no longer relevant, and he will have to retrain on his own.
Thus, you were able to make sure that there is no single answer to the question of whether a college degree is compulsory for a programmer. Therefore, everyone must decide for themselves, having previously weighed all the pros and cons, as well as assessing their future chances in the labor market.
Can I take courses?
Another way to get a programmer position is to take courses. They can be both face-to-face and online. With the help of such courses, you can learn to program in a fairly short time and acquire all the necessary skills to work in the IT field.
Today you can find a large number of similar courses. In addition, educational events can take place in the form of trainings, master classes, conferences, hackathons, etc. It is important to keep in mind that for the most part you will have to act on your own. Despite the fact that all the necessary information will be provided to you, it depends only on you how high-quality education you receive.
The main disadvantage of the courses is the acquisition of knowledge only in a highly specialized field. To become a generalist, you will need to attend several of these educational events. At the same time, there are courses, upon successful completion of which you will be offered a job.
