What qualifications are required
- Thread starter Se7ven
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Instead of system building, what about about a research and development job related to computer hardware? You'll need to study computer science, electronic engineering, physics or at a push maths at university - but that'll be far more like a career than the essentially unskilled job you seem to be thinking of.
How old are you? What qualifications do you have?
How old are you? What qualifications do you have?
Soldato
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Isn't the OP really just after a tech support job and how to go about it?
If so there's many of those jobs out there, nearly every company has in house IT or a contract company, you'll be able to fiddle with PC's all day, but most is software support really, money £14k-£18k for basic stuff really.
If so there's many of those jobs out there, nearly every company has in house IT or a contract company, you'll be able to fiddle with PC's all day, but most is software support really, money £14k-£18k for basic stuff really.
Is that a fair assumption of someone who programs for a living? Just asking as I'm looking to start computer science at university next year, and programmer/developer is definitely something I would be interested in when I'm finished.
Always thought that skilled programmers were highly sought after.
Support is dead end and mind numbing. Go for it for a foot in the door but do not chose it as a career choice. Fair enough if you enjoy it but chances are you will not...eventually 
No chance you will get employed AS an overclocker really. Someone 'skilled' will do the hard work and you will read parameters off a sheet, pump them into the BIOS and run a stress test as part of a normal PC build. Makes no business sense to do it any other way.
Also, for everyone else - Don't offer advice if you are not prepared for the receiver to not agree with it. However true the advice, it ceases to be advice when it should be followed and becomes a dictation.
No chance you will get employed AS an overclocker really. Someone 'skilled' will do the hard work and you will read parameters off a sheet, pump them into the BIOS and run a stress test as part of a normal PC build. Makes no business sense to do it any other way.
Also, for everyone else - Don't offer advice if you are not prepared for the receiver to not agree with it. However true the advice, it ceases to be advice when it should be followed and becomes a dictation.
Skilled programmers are... but they are also rare. Even more valuable is being a skilled programmer with specialist skills in a particular field... video processing, aerodynamics, finance, pharmaceuticals etc.
As for programming. Unless you have a particular flair for development/a certain niche area specialised etc then your work is being outsourced to India.
Why pay a basic programmer to do basic routines when you can pay someone elsewhere a fraction of the cost.
Why pay a basic programmer to do basic routines when you can pay someone elsewhere a fraction of the cost.
OP - The type of job you want is a technical specialist working for large corporations such as IBM/Intel/Apple. You'll need a degree in computer science or a heck of a lot of experience, preferably with some background in hardware or engineering but the jobs are few and far between and exceptionally difficult to get. The only people I've met at IBM etc who do this sort of work have been German, American or Italian, I've yet to meet anyone from the UK in such a post!
They tend to design and test large expensive builds for datacenters etc, we're not talking about overclocking a home PC, these folks build rigs worth £150,000+
They tend to design and test large expensive builds for datacenters etc, we're not talking about overclocking a home PC, these folks build rigs worth £150,000+
Soldato
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Yeh if your young still and love to tweak hardware, why not do all the hardcore science/engineering so you can be part of a team that actually creates this stuff...
I used to overclock, big woop... No one in their right mind would employ you to get an extra 200mhz out of some graphics cards all day.
Try your luck on dragons den, set your own business up doing it?
But yeh, you can go further and be the brains behind it all, then you sir will definitely be laughing all the way to the bank.
I used to overclock, big woop... No one in their right mind would employ you to get an extra 200mhz out of some graphics cards all day.
Try your luck on dragons den, set your own business up doing it?
But yeh, you can go further and be the brains behind it all, then you sir will definitely be laughing all the way to the bank.
Soldato
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Get a real job ...overclocking PC's ... not digging holes in the plains
Would you like to make that an extra large coke?
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Well I've in my career to date probably worked with > 200 programmers. Normal blokes, with normal levels of ability, in a variety of languages but mainly C, C++, Cobol or some kind of 4GL (or nowadays .net).
98% of them (aged > 25 so a bit of experience) were earning between 30K and max 60K. Virtually everyone. A VAST majority of those between 40K and 50K. And I've worked all over the UK. Of course there are exceptions to the rule (especially contracting) - but generally thats what yer looking at unless you're the mutts nuts who doesn't mind working 10 hour days..
So yea, I'd rate that as 'middle-class, not too bad life' territory ...
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Computer science is a good course to take because you cover much more than programming. The maths is particularly important because you can take it with you to other disciplines. Do CS and try and apply your final project to something applicable in other fields like computer modelling or parallel processing. This will give you an edge if going on to a MSc / PhD or give you a way in to a science/engineering company looking to expand their knowledge base in those areas.
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I am looking for be a PC builder or technician (i basically want to build PC's, overclock, test etc) for a preferably big firm. but no idea what qualifications are required, i obviously cant go up to them and say "hey i self taught myself to build and intel i7 overclocked to 4ghz, can i hav job plz?"
can someone tell me where I should start?
Experience, people who you know.
Soldato
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Ok then,
How about National Diploma for IT Practitioners, I done that, check it out, it covers nearly everything in IT, after that you will have an idea what area you want to go into. Available at probably all colleges etc.
Or the starting microsoft certificates possibly.
How old are you?
Do the above, the ND is a 2 year course, work part time in a IT shop, then look for proper tech support after.
How about National Diploma for IT Practitioners, I done that, check it out, it covers nearly everything in IT, after that you will have an idea what area you want to go into. Available at probably all colleges etc.
Or the starting microsoft certificates possibly.
How old are you?
Do the above, the ND is a 2 year course, work part time in a IT shop, then look for proper tech support after.
You wasted your time. Can you honestly say this has got you anywhere?
The MS route is a sensible one as a foundation, as are Cisco. These should at least lay the foundation for a low level helpdesk role, which is where we all had to start.
How hard is it to get a "starter" programming job with no experience?
I take it competition is not as fierce as support jobs? as everyone is applying for support jobs.
Soldato
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WOW there! Calm down buddy lol.
It's the same as A-Levels but targeted only on IT, a stepping stone towards degree's, work etc etc etc.
What did you do when you left school Jez?
If he's not a school leaver then sure, the ND isnt really right for him but if he's under 18 then its a good grounding.
Move to India and pretty easy I imagine.
Low level coding is an outsource role. Like telephone support lines.
Soldato
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Id imagine that you would have to build up a portfolio of what you have programming wise if you don't have any experience.
