Career adivce needed.

TomProx

TomProx

TomProx

Associate
Joined
17 Sep 2012
Posts
1,145
Location
Scotland
Hey guys, just a quick one, next year i was all set to join the royal navy, only to find out ive got an eye disease i didn't know about so thats blew all chances of me getting in.

What i was wondering was, how hard is it to get into the software development type jobs? i have a great interest in building computers and using software on them, it would be great if i knew how to develop software.
Now i have no background or experience in this department, i was looking at possible open university courses ( can't leave work for a full time course as i have a partner and kid and house to pay for ) i can gain free entry to the course due to me earning under £16,150 PA.

The course i was looking at was this one http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/pathways/w36-8.htm

it came from this page http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/w36.htm

where it says these course are an ideal start for a career in IT.
Im not happy in the job im in at the moment and would like to do something im interested in and can progress in.

If anyone can offer me advice on how to get started, that would be great.

Cheers
 
The course is part of the degree and TU100 is a level one course which you also need to take one more to get the relevant amount of points.
The OOP is a level 2 and there is also one more Java course that runs slightly after the first also level 2. Doing just the one course won't be enough really you will want to do the entire degree as Stretch mentions.
 
That is probably the root I will take. I finished TU100 end of Sept (awaiting my final result!!). Started MU123 beginning of October and wanted to start the first OOP course but missed the cut off.

If it has been a while since you studied they do a simple maths course that is kind of like a taster, Y162 - Starting with maths. Most of the maths isn't to tricky but if you haven't done it in a while it takes a bit to come back to you. However the bonus to this course it allows you to see how well you manage your time and how you will find the distance learning approach with the OU. It is quite hard at first as if you fall behind you have text books to read up on, TMAs to do and online assignments to juggle. TU100 is quite a big course worth 60 points which is double the others. Can take probably 10+ hours a week depending how tricky you find certain aspects. Motivation can be hard as well some days I get back from work and I just don't feel like doing any more work at all.
You can get funding for courses as well if you apply in time, luckily for me when I started it was few months before the price rise happened! TU100 was £750 and I think its £2k now? You get a grant as well of about £260 to help you buy anything you need for the course also. Plenty of help out there if you need it.

My personal experience of the OU has been pretty positive, I have had good tutors and had them reply to my questions and deal with any troubles quickly.
 
Thanks for replying, will go straight for the degree route then, its basically the other course rolled into it right? so i cant just go straight for the degree route, since it has the My digital life module also to get you started into it?

The thing is i live in scotland, and because i earn under 16K a year with dependants (my son) im eligible to free entry into it.

Yeah i've heard positive things about the OU, and heard you need to keep motiviated, which i will :)
 
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