Is Coding for C++ Worth Going to College For?

[XDelusion]

To anyone who works as a coder...

I am considering going to school for coding as I believe I should go to school for something that I am really interested in and could use to draw a nice income while also using the skill for my hobbies, but I am wondering what the job market is like for coders, is anyone hiring? Would I have to move out of state, need experience, etc.?

Thankx!

[commodorejohn]

It depends greatly on what kind of field you're looking to get into and what your learning style is. A lot of pure tech jobs are going to demand a degree in any case, but, for example, I got my job (IT backend developer/utility infielder at a call center) on the strength of skills that are mostly self-taught, based on some example code I submitted (I learned more through hobbyist coding than I did in six years of not actually finishing a degree.)

[Bif]

If you are serious about getting a programming job then you should make sure you get a degree from an institution that is respected by companies looking for coders. It certainly wouldn't be a course in C++ from your local community college, you'd want at least a bachelors in computer science from a reasonably respected university. Computer science is much more than just learning C++, you need to understand design patterns/algorithms/etc., and you'd also want other areas of expertise such as math, DSP or physics as that's what you might be applying with your coding.

In the places that I have worked (video game industry) that's pretty much the bare minimum, and even with that it can be hard to get in, only the best graduates would be picked that showed us something special. We'd also often typically only hire students that have done a co-op (work practicum) with us that have proven to us that they know what they are doing.

You don't necessarily need this super fancy degree stuff to get hired if you can show a lot of entrepreneurial qualities and experience (e.g. you taught yourself or did just take that community college course and started your own company that actually produces products or similar). However you'll have to be pretty good at that and demonstrate that you can work with or manage others. That's one of the points of university, it's more than just coding, it's seeing if you have what it takes to get through all of it, you have to be reasonably well rounded to manage that - coding isn't everything.

Myself I only went to a 2 year technical college, but I got a bit lucky due to specializing in something rare at the time that was in demand. If I looked at the employee makeup of places I work I'd bet at least 90% have a bachelors from university, and a lot of people even went for a masters. The other 10% either got in a long time ago or have just proven to be damned good at what they do. It all probably depends into what line of work you get into though, it's demanding in mine, maybe not so much in some others.

[ChaosLord]

Is Coding for C++ Worth Going to College For?

No.

Unless u r given a 100% free ride scholarship.  In which case, depending on the type of person u r, the answer could be "maybe".

[dnelsonfl]

Hello, XDelusion! I work as a senior software engineer for a software company here in Florida. I was hired for C#/Web programming, but we also have a large group of C++ coders here working on Windows software and a couple XCode guys working on Mac software. Like several other companies I worked for, a 4-year degree is required. Computer science or computer engineering are preferred, but we also consider business degrees (such as MIS). The thinking behind this is that the formal training teaches you the big ideas, the concepts of how to approach and solve problems, that you may be somewhat lacking if you are self-taught. Personally, I am not 100% convinced of this -- I believe it most certainly does help, but I have known an exception or two. Regardless, it's a fact of life, so that 4 year degree will be important. Who knows, you may really fall in love with something you learn and go on to earn your masters or beyond.

Like was mentioned, do not expect to be taught everything there is to know about C++. I went to college and earned a dual major BS in computer engineering and computer science. I then went on to complete my MS in electrical engineering. The majority of my classes used java, and C was the next most common. A few were C++ and other languages. We were taught enough of the language to get the feel for it and accomplish what the professor wanted to teach. Again, what was most important, were the concepts and ideas being taught about programming, operating systems, networking, ai, etc. The language the professor chose was not really important. A good programmer can learn to use any language they have to, and given enough time become quite proficient with it. So, if you are interested in C++, expect to have to learn most of it outside of class.

-David

[XDelusion]

Thank you all for the in depth responses, this is certainly food for thought!

[esc]

I can echo a lot of this.  I (more or less) work in IT doing software development.  You'll want to have some expertise in multiple languages.  That way, if/when you apply and submit a resume somewhere and they'd like you to know various other languages in addition to what you may already know, they will see that you're capable of understanding multiple different languages already (and thereby probably grasp the programming paradigms more) than those that have a level of expertise in only one or two languages.

Plus, once you learn one, it's easy to learn more.

That said, focus your degree path toward what you actually want.  A lot of code nowadays which is generating the most jobs is web code - java, html5, php, flash, things of that nature.  If your goal is to write things in c++, you should probably also learn c, c#, objective c, and the proprietary versions (cocoa, .net, etc).

The benefit of studying this in an actual school is that you'll greatly benefit from grasping the paradigms, understanding how machines can learn, and you'll be forced to work in teams which will mimic real life.

Anyway, good luck  I learned c before c++, a lot of people say c++ is easier to learn, but I feel like learning super pedantic easy-to-break uber-powerful c before c++ is the right way to go.  I think most people disagree but it still makes more sense to me...after all, c++ was initially just a subset of c.

Cheers!

[ChuckT]

To anyone who works as a coder...

I am considering going to school for coding as I believe I should go to school for something that I am really interested in and could use to draw a nice income while also using the skill for my hobbies, but I am wondering what the job market is like for coders, is anyone hiring? Would I have to move out of state, need experience, etc.?

Thankx!

It is worth putting some man size projects on your resume.

[Iggy]

It certainly wouldn't be a course in C++ from your local community college...

...Myself I only went to a 2 year technical college

Serious BS.
Our local community college is turning out better job candidates then our State University.

I do agree that a heavy background in math and physics can help (especially in the business this guy is in).

But even after a four year degree, you better hit the ground running, because most of your education going to occur after college.