Seeking employment as a trainee computer programmer in Austin, Texas.

[Paul Epstein]

I have a Masters Degree in mathematics at the University of Leeds,
England, and have worked for five years as a Graduate Teaching
Assistant at the Department of Mathematics at the University of Texas
at Austin.

I have some knowledge of computer programming, particularly in C/C++,
but have not had much formal training or job experience in these
areas.

I am currently seeking employment in Austin, Texas, and would be
particularly interested to learn of any employment opportunities which
provide training in computer programming, or which offer sponsored
training.

Any advice, information, or support would be very gratefully received.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this posting.

Paul Epstein
***@att.net

[LarryG]

Post by Paul Epstein
I have a Masters Degree in mathematics at the University of Leeds,
England, and have worked for five years as a Graduate Teaching
Assistant at the Department of Mathematics at the University of Texas
at Austin.
I have some knowledge of computer programming, particularly in C/C++,
but have not had much formal training or job experience in these
areas.
I am currently seeking employment in Austin, Texas, and would be
particularly interested to learn of any employment opportunities which
provide training in computer programming, or which offer sponsored
training.
Any advice, information, or support would be very gratefully received.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this posting.
Paul Epstein

I wouldn't pin my hopes on gaining such a position any time in the next two
years. Right now, Austin has about 30,000 unemployed/under-employed
tech workers, many of whom are programmers with substantial training
and experience. It is unlikely that employers will choose to risk
investment
on training an unproven talent when skilled alternatives are readily
available.

Even returning to school for additional training in computer science may be
an unwise investment. There doesn't appear to be much promise of job
creation or growth for some time to come. You may wish to apply your
talents to some related discipline in demand. Medical technology perhaps.

Cheers,
Larry G.

[Sam Spade]

I think your best shot would be to leverage your mathematical background by
pursuing a position with firms that do mathematical modeling of some sort.
College Station has one prominent mathematical modeling software firm, and
Austin itself has a number of engineering software firms whose products use
advanced math as part of their software. (Note: That's engineering software,
as in firms that make software to model how bridges stand up to wind loading
and such, not software engineering.)

Unfortunately, I recall none of the names, but some searching should find a
few.

Post by Paul Epstein
I have a Masters Degree in mathematics at the University of Leeds,
England, and have worked for five years as a Graduate Teaching
Assistant at the Department of Mathematics at the University of Texas
at Austin.
I have some knowledge of computer programming, particularly in C/C++,
but have not had much formal training or job experience in these
areas.
I am currently seeking employment in Austin, Texas, and would be
particularly interested to learn of any employment opportunities which
provide training in computer programming, or which offer sponsored
training.
Any advice, information, or support would be very gratefully received.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this posting.
Paul Epstein

[john doe]

C++ would be the death for your
career....and personal life.

Please elaborate.
Thanks

[Who Knows?]

Waste of time - all the time spent learning and programming just to have
knowledge of an obsolete programming language, perhaps?

Post by john doe

C++ would be the death for your
career....and personal life.

Please elaborate.
Thanks

[Paul Epstein]

Paul: Find a teching post somewhere nationwide....think about the
three month vacations.... C++ would be the death for your
career....and personal life. You may wish to pursue and MBA or Law
degree as well. Now that is where the real posibility of making it
big lies....

These are all good suggestions, but I am committed to living in
Austin, TX. If I could look for jobs nationwide, my situation would
be much easier. I also need work immediately, so most MBA and law
degree options are also not available.

I'm not sure whether working in C/C++ is intrinsically interesting or
not. However, I find the very idea of making money exciting. Even if
work seems like pure drudgery, I never get bored if I'm excited about
the money at the end of it. I love working overtime if I can get paid
$18/hr or more for it.

I'm a bit skeptical about the suggestion that C/C++ is obsolete or a
waste of time. Computer languages stay around a long time. Even
Cobol is in fairly high demand right now. Besides, once C/C++ has
been mastered, it's easier to learn other more powerful languages.

I think that I am in many ways naturally talented in computer
programming. However, most computing jobs require more than that -- a
nuts and bolts understanding of how operating systems run etc. I'm
more geared towards writing code than towards gaining a practical
understanding of an operating system.

Paul Epstein

[Who Knows?]

Post by Paul Epstein

Paul: Find a teching post somewhere nationwide....think about the
three month vacations.... C++ would be the death for your
career....and personal life. You may wish to pursue and MBA or Law
degree as well. Now that is where the real posibility of making it
big lies....

These are all good suggestions, but I am committed to living in
Austin, TX. If I could look for jobs nationwide, my situation would
be much easier. I also need work immediately, so most MBA and law
degree options are also not available.
I'm not sure whether working in C/C++ is intrinsically interesting or
not. However, I find the very idea of making money exciting. Even if
work seems like pure drudgery, I never get bored if I'm excited about
the money at the end of it. I love working overtime if I can get paid
$18/hr or more for it.
I'm a bit skeptical about the suggestion that C/C++ is obsolete or a
waste of time. Computer languages stay around a long time. Even
Cobol is in fairly high demand right now. Besides, once C/C++ has
been mastered, it's easier to learn other more powerful languages.

Ok I admit, it might not yet be obsolete. Programming in C/C++ is
similar to programming in any language, once you understand the
philosophy of how to program, its really simple, and just a matter of
syntax, in reality. The idea of making money is indeed exciting, which
is why many programmers have left the field. There's easier, more
stable money to be found out there which pays better than most
programming positions.

Post by Paul Epstein
I think that I am in many ways naturally talented in computer
programming. However, most computing jobs require more than that -- a
nuts and bolts understanding of how operating systems run etc. I'm
more geared towards writing code than towards gaining a practical
understanding of an operating system.

Understanding how the OS and HW work together is critical to being an
effective programmer, especially when it comes down to debugging large
systems.

Post by Paul Epstein
Paul Epstein

[Smør]

Post by Who Knows?
Ok I admit, it might not yet be obsolete. Programming in C/C++ is
similar to programming in any language, once you understand the
philosophy of how to program, its really simple, and just a matter of
syntax, in reality. The idea of making money is indeed exciting, which
is why many programmers have left the field. There's easier, more
stable money to be found out there which pays better than most
programming positions.

If in fact you are a programmer, you need to stop writing code. Anyone
who thinks programming C or C++ is 'just a matter of syntax' has no
business being within 50ft of a compiler.

Post by Who Knows?
Understanding how the OS and HW work together is critical to being an
effective programmer, especially when it comes down to debugging large
systems.

What kind of vague nonsense is this?

[LarryG]

I think that if there are people that are just getting up and leaving the
computer industry for some kind of get rich scheme, then they were never
"techies" to begin with. I didn't get into this field to make money,
although that was a by product of IT. I got into this field because I

love

technology. If I were rich beyond belief, I would still do some kind of

IT

work. Obviously, the person that thinks C++ is just like any other

language

is not a true IT professional, just someone that wanted to make a quick
dollar in the 90's.

My suspicion is that it is a kid in or just out of high school who barely
knows
Visual Basic and has only heard vague rumors of something called C++.
For the time being, concepts of software engineering, object orientation,
coding standards and template libraries are all just so many curious
buzzwords.
At least no body started up with Java-vangelism.

Cheers,
Larry G.

[n/a]

Why would you bother to learn a programming language when the jobs are going
overseas?

The ragheads in India will do the work for next to nothing. The next big
thing is the medical field. Get trained in something in that area if you
want a lifetime job. If it's hands-on, they won't be shipping it to India
or overseas.

Post by Paul Epstein
I have a Masters Degree in mathematics at the University of Leeds,
England, and have worked for five years as a Graduate Teaching
Assistant at the Department of Mathematics at the University of Texas
at Austin.
I have some knowledge of computer programming, particularly in C/C++,
but have not had much formal training or job experience in these
areas.
I am currently seeking employment in Austin, Texas, and would be
particularly interested to learn of any employment opportunities which
provide training in computer programming, or which offer sponsored
training.
Any advice, information, or support would be very gratefully received.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this posting.
Paul Epstein

[LarryG]

Post by n/a
Why would you bother to learn a programming language when the jobs are going
overseas?
The ragheads in India will do the work for next to nothing. The next big
thing is the medical field. Get trained in something in that area if you
want a lifetime job. If it's hands-on, they won't be shipping it to India
or overseas.

Assuming, of course, that the medical industry doesn't lobby congress
into increasing H1B visas for cheaper foreign medical talent, claiming
they can't find enough "qualified" Americans to do the job.

Good luck in your retraining.

cheers,
Larry G.

[Abhi]

I am amazed at some people's pessimistic approch here. The truth that
I would like to tell them is, C++ is not a software, it is a
programming language, It can be used to program very high quality
mathematical algorithms (e.g. Google) or it can be used to do sloppy
microsoft Programming. There are plenty of jobs where you need
exceptional mathematical knowledge and C++. So I think you in a good
shape if you look positively. IBM needs people like you for their
research labs. Try applying there.
The value of a tool (C++) is determined by what it is used for. As
far as sending jobs to India goes, I think it is similar to
manufacturing clothes in Cambodia and selling them at high price in
US. I wonder why hasn't anyone objected to that yet.

Abhi

Post by LarryG

Post by n/a
Why would you bother to learn a programming language when the jobs are

going

Post by n/a
overseas?
The ragheads in India will do the work for next to nothing. The next big
thing is the medical field. Get trained in something in that area if you
want a lifetime job. If it's hands-on, they won't be shipping it to India
or overseas.

Assuming, of course, that the medical industry doesn't lobby congress
into increasing H1B visas for cheaper foreign medical talent, claiming
they can't find enough "qualified" Americans to do the job.
Good luck in your retraining.
cheers,
Larry G.