Career guidance - SCJP
 

Hi,

I'm an engineer needing some adive about career progression.

Presently I work as a Senior Sftware Engineer in an Aerospace company verifying software for Safety Critical Systems.

I have been working there for 7 years now and I have about 5 years expeince in verification and 2 years in design.

The company I work for uses mostly proprietary software languages, editors and toolsets. Although I have experience of Configuration Systems (PCMS & Synergy), Artisan, DOORS and a few other applications.

However, I'm worrying that by working in this environment that I am making myself less attractive to potential new employers as they seem to want people to hit the ground running with some years experience of Java/C++/whatever.

I have told the HR or Recruitment Consultants that I have experience in software and an ability to pick up languages - in house languages and Ada has been picked up on the job. So I believe that a sound programming methodology is more important than being able to 'type' in many languages.

However, recently a Recruitment Agency rep told me that I would have to go forward as a graduate for a job position - meaning I would have to take a 25% pay cut - which to me is unacceptable.

THis has got me thinking of doing the Sun Certified Java Programmer course and I was wondering what is the best way to tackle this course?

Is their online training for it, is there a book, or should I sign up somewhere that specialises in SCJP course?


Many thanks in advance for repsonses,

FM.

Re: Career guidance - SCJP
 

I have this book "Sun Certied Programmer for the Java platform. Really good. Helped me with my SJCA cert. Just read the book and understand it at your own pace. I don't recommend any course but they tend to be overly priced.

Re: Career guidance - SCJP
 

I could swear that this post is like.. a year old or more. Doesn't anyone else remember this? Or was it just very similar?

Re: Career guidance - SCJP
 

Ahah! Combination of 2 posts, same author, from January 2007.

http://www.programmingforums.org/thread12398.html
http://www.programmingforums.org/thread12423.html

Re: Career guidance - SCJP
 

I was asking adivce on this previously, but I thought it was on another forum...

In the intervening time I had a chat with my boss and certain things were promised which still have not come to fruition so I am once again having to consider my options and therefore am thinking about quitting my job for pastures new.

Problem is that as I have no commercial skills (in the eyes of HR Recruitment Reps) I am getting knocked back many times.

I did look into doing a course but they were looking £1600GBP for the SCJP course. So I thought it was too expensive.

Hence, I'm now trying to find out what other options there are.


Apologies - I think the new layout of this site might have caught me out...

Re: Career guidance - SCJP
 

Looks like you got plenty of advice last time. I will tell you this though, my dream job is AI programming either in the gaming industry, or in research.

Instead, I'm a mainframe programmer for an insurance company trying to find that missing 5 cents on some annuity... This is what was available to me at the time, and I simply couldn't put my life on hold until I get that perfect job. You should stay at your current job, until a better opportunity presents itself.

Re: Career guidance - SCJP
 

I'm also looking to replace my current job... however, I'm definitely going to keep it until I find something new.
There is also nothing wrong with learning a language on your own and becoming "functional" in it... then listing that language on your resume. A programmer is a programmer, regardless of languages. Unfortunately, HR doesn't see it that way. Certifications, in my opinion, are over-rated if you already have a degree.