News flash to Mom's & Dad's across the country: we need more software engineers!
I remember back when I was a sophmore (a.k.a. Yearling) at West Point, and we had to declare our majors. It was 1991, and the world was a different place; the personal computer was just beginning to change the world. In fact, I was in the first class at the Academy where every cadet was issued a personal computer. So when I called home to tell my parents that I was going to declare for the brand new "Computer Science Degree", my Dad was unimpressed. His advice: "I know you've loved wasting endless hours on that 'thing' (the 'thing' was a Commodore64 that I programmed little sprite games on), but you've got to get a job that will put food on the table, and you'll never be able to make any money on that computer!" Well I love and deeply respect dear old Dad, and that made me really think about my major. However, because I was at West Point, I knew that I would have a five year service term, and that my major would have very little bearing on what job I could get in the Army or afterward. So I decided to do what I loved and I got a CS degree. I never regretted that decision. I loved every second of the programming that I did at school. And I love programming to this day. But I wonder what I would have chosen with Dad's advice and the challenge of landing a "real job" after college?
As it turns out, by the time I got out of the Army, it was 1999, and computer programmers were hot! Everybody wanted to get a CS degree. I was able to easily get a job, with great pay, and have never had any issues with employment.
However, it seem like today--in 2008--we've come full circle.
For example, an article in today's WSJ laments the dearth of jobs that will be waiting for the Class of '08. Still, they say there is still strong demand for certain skillsets...guess which ones?!
Certain skills still are in strong demand, says Ms. Chota, adding that the company can't find enough qualified graduates with degrees in computer science and those who have knowledge of both business and IT. "In the U.S., unfortunately, there are not enough great computer-science graduates," Ms. Chota says. [emphasis added]
I've seen this phenomenon with my own eyes. At a recent recruiting event at the University of Michigan, there were more than 30 companies looking for computer science grads. We were giving away trinkets, free Starbucks cards, and anything else we could think of to attract the students to our booths. On the other hand, there were only a handful of companies looking for mech & chem grads. It was almost comical to see the differences in the demand for those students. The students applying for those jobs actually wore suits (you don't have to do that with a software company ;-), and they queued up about 15-20 deep waiting for interviews.
So why aren't there enough computer science grads out there? I believe a large part of the problem stems from Mom & Dad. Today's parents are seeing the world go flat, and they are discouraging their kids from jobs that are going overseas. Rich Sheridan, the founder of Menlo Innovations, tells a story about talking to a room of CS majors at the Univeristy of Michigan. He asked them to raise their hands if their parents had discouraged them from declaring a CS major; over half raised their hands.
I understand why parents are concerned. But when it comes to computer science, nothing could be further from the truth. As Dr. Jahanian, the chair of the CS department at UM, pointed out, there are more IT jobs today than there were in early 2000, at the height of the internet bubble. And not only are there jobs, they have great starting salaries, too (see figure from WSJ).
So, please, Mom & Dad, please...let your kids become programmers...
7 comments:
The Class of 94 was not the first class to get issued PCs. You were the first to get x386 Systems. I think 89 Did not hae PCs, but 90 on down did. They used to have a page on the USMA site with the different machines issued through the years.
Also, you recruiting events are skewed based on where they are held, who sponsers them, and where the word is passed. I've been to a couple since moving to Boston that have been overwhelming.
Most CS students try to get as many internships as they can between summers, to get exposure to companies that will hire them after Graduation. Northeaster University is a 5 year under grad due to the number of internships its students have to take.
Of course, Boston is a little unusual in its University Density.
Though I am probably the bottom of the barrel at this point though I have a computer degree. I'm considered an unqualified applicant because I was an average student and didn’t have very specific skills business desires.
Unless you are near the top of the class you will have a very hard time being placed. There really is no demand. I saw demand in the dot.com days and they would hire people who simply looked at the product with a high school education.
Now entry level is a computer degree with minimum of 2 years experience. You have a huge treadmill where China and India will have millions of people being specifically trained for this area and code can be done anywhere. Will you be able to get ahead of the curve? Those high level jobs that are here now won't go overseas next?
If you were in the system before globalization hit full steam in 2000 maybe you could have beaten the curve and done well. But this will be a hard life and only the most talented should bother.
I personally wish I had never looked at computer science. And if you are unable to find computer work the degree doesn't translate into other careers. And there is a stigma associated with it such that if you don't make it employers will think there is something wrong with you. Would you want to hire a computer science student applying for a Walmart Job? What do you think they will ask you? How will you explain when you go into a non-computer science interview as to why you failed to make it in a field that has amazingly huge demand? What will that employer think about you when you can't even get a job in your field?
Unless the job asks for a degree I don't mention or list it anymore on my resume. The computer science degree is a huge negative. Don't end up like me working for Walmart on the side and praying I find something better than the McJobs available.
It's your life though. Good luck. And don't believe the statistics the government spews, they are garbage. For all I know those jobs are in America but filled by foreigners. There is nothing wrong with that, but that is what you will have to deal with. I have seen very talented people, simply move out of computer science and do manual labor jobs in unions. The frustration and lack of stability just isn’t worth it, especially if you have a family.
Maybe in 30 years when globalization balances out it will be worth it but not right now.
Of course feel free to go check craigslist and see what computer science jobs are available as they drop off monthly. Don't bother with Monster and the big business databases, they are simply selling a product.
So there's a grad reading my blog! You're right on the correction...other classes had personal computers, but '94 was the first with x386s.
Do you remember the "company printer" that you had to send work to? And the company clerk having to make sure that it didn't jam?
Not just a grad...I was your squad leader at one point. E-1 Dammit...the Hammer!
And yes, I remember the printer, I remember it quite well. Fortunately, we had other resources in EECS, and the knowhow to use them.
To the guy with the computer degree complaining about globalization: There is a a lot of work out there. You have to know where to look. Craigslist is only part of the whole environment. I have yet to really check on an applicants GPA on a resume: I want to know if they can code. You want to get a career in CS going? Work on an open source project and have something to show me. You are in the right place at the devhive.
I should've guessed from your username...howdy!
Howdy back at you.
One other comment for the bitter CS grad: A big portion of programming is understanding the requirements. This means the ability to communicate, both to get your point across and to understand what is being asked of you. As a native English speaker, you have a leg up in an interview when compared to someone who speaks English as a Second language.
Most of the people from overseas that I have interviewed have masters degrees. This is because most American recruiters do not know the quality of the schools in India, China, Ghana, or other countries. These candidates have earned secondary degrees from schools like Northeastern, SUNY Stony Brook, and so on. However, the number of people in this pool is significantly smaller than the overall number of applicants from overseas. However ,these are the people that give you the stiffest competition. A Masters from Stanford will trump an undergrad degree from a no-name school.
I suspect that you are cometing with non-CS people far more than you are competing with people from overseas. If you are doing business software, chances are the majority of your co-workers have degrees in something other than CS. Most coding does not require a computer scientist. Again, it is more based on the ability to understand requirements and work hard. Learning Java or PHP is within the grasp of anyone that can pass Calculus and economics.
Cadet Computer Hall of Fame.
http://www.dean.usma.edu/ietd/cchall.cfm
8 Mega Hertz. Yeah, boys.
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