# Help please!!!!



## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

I have to decide which program in college to take by Sunday. I want to know which job has more oppertunities and which job has more pay?
-Computer Programming technology
-Computer Engineering Technology

thanks! (BTW this is community college at humber)


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> I have to decide which program in college to take by Sunday. I want to know which job has more oppertunities and which job has more pay?
> -Computer Programming technology
> -Computer Engineering Technology
> 
> thanks! (BTW this is community college at humber)


Well, if you want my opinion I would go with the Computer Engineering Technology for a couple of reasons. Depending on the depth of the course it will position you for a network admin or sys admin position down the road. With the programming you could find yourself locked in to being a programmer and unless you think that coding all day is fun you may want to leave yourself some options. 

Being a sys admin is actually enjoyable, although it can be stressful. However, it combines programming and networking skills and makes for a more varied work environment.

Just my .02


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Thanks!
ill take note of that


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

I don't know what other options you have but the IT field and such is getting over populated....


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Do you mean its going to be hard to find a job?


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

It's getting harder and somewhat more demanding. I have worked in Industry for the last 25 years and i see the field filling up. If you want to get a guaranteed job look at the trades and i don't mean engineering. I work as a Industrial electrician, basically troubleshooting automated equipment and the wages can reach or exceed six figures. Something to think about. :food-smiley-004:


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

Take the Engineering and learn the programming on the side. I wouldnt take either, but thats how I would approach those two...........


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

PaulS said:


> It's getting harder and somewhat more demanding. I have worked in Industry for the last 25 years and i see the field filling up. If you want to get a guaranteed job look at the trades and i don't mean engineering. I work as a Industrial electrician, basically troubleshooting automated equipment and the wages can reach or exceed six figures. Something to think about. :food-smiley-004:


I was seriously thinking of going into trades...But my parents said GO TO COLLEGE. Thats how parents are (who came from another country). They don't understand that I have other choices...so I'm going to college....


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> Do you mean its going to be hard to find a job?


I can pretty much assure you that it will not be easy to find a job unless you have connections. You also have to understand that when you graduate you will really know nothing. That will come with experience in the field.

Also, IT jobs in Toronto pay well....once you are outside the city the pay is not so good.


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

That's ok, most of the industries want college grads for apprenticeships anyway. I went to college as a civil technician and ended up in an apprenticeship for industrial electronics, go figure.... good luck. The nice part about apprenticing is expierence and you get paid along the way...


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

If you want to make the best money, Software Development all the way.

I don't do sweat shop development, I work with users and management from design to implementation. Because of this I get loads of gratification from my users.

One last Note: It's far easier to go from Developer to Network Admin and System Admin. Proper development requires a good understanding of the infrastucture on which your app will run. Going the other way just creates a hack developer.

Sorry cbh747.


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Yea but...Can I even get into the trades with a computer engineering technology diploma?


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> I was seriously thinking of going into trades...But my parents said GO TO COLLEGE. Thats how parents are (who came from another country). They don't understand that I have other choices...so I'm going to college....


Go to college, or the big U. Whenever I see a resume without it, it goes straight to file 13.............


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> Yea but...Can I even get into the trades with a computer engineering technology diploma?


Do both if you want, but get some formal education.............


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

yes.... they just want the academic background.


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Well lets talk about salary now...
Am I going to be getting something decent with a computer engineering technology diploma?

Sorry bout all the questions, but I'm really desperate right now!


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Can't tell you what they make but I know where I work they make less than the trades on the floor.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

Accept2 said:


> Go to college, or the big U. Whenever I see a resume without it, it goes straight to file 13.............


If you can afford it and qualify, University all the way.


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

PaulS said:


> Can't tell you what they make but I know where I work they make less than the trades on the floor.


Damn...that sucks


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> Well lets talk about salary now...
> Am I going to be getting something decent with a computer engineering technology diploma?
> 
> Sorry bout all the questions, but I'm really desperate right now!


You'll make more money starting out in development. If you are good you'll have job security quickly and your salary will go up fast because of it.


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Not really, there is a major shortage of trades in Canada especially industry so to get qualified trades people they pay good money, a supply and demand thing....


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> If you want to make the best money, Software Development all the way.
> 
> I don't do sweat shop development, I work with users and management from design to implementation. Because of this I get loads of gratification from my users.
> 
> ...


I dont disagree. I just said that it was more fun. Although I do disagree with the hack developer remark. That is a pretty broad generalization.

You may be somewhat unique in getting loads of gratification from your users, in my experience that is not generally the case.


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Ok ok, so you guys mainly say I should take Computer Engineering over programming right?
Ok Ill do it and see how it goes.


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> If you can afford it and qualify, University all the way.


You hit a key word there Jeff "afford" . I am helping my son thru U right now to the tune of 20,000 a year. His field is the bio pharm/chem and he plans to go to med school, now who needs help .......


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> Well lets talk about salary now...
> Am I going to be getting something decent with a computer engineering technology diploma?
> 
> Sorry bout all the questions, but I'm really desperate right now!


Dont look at salaries. If you excel in a job the bucks will come. If you choose a job remember you could be doing it for years on end. I know guys who go to Saudi to work on the oil rigs. They make about $300G a year, but they dont have an enjoyable job. Find something you enjoy first, then think about the bucks later.................


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> Ok ok, so you guys mainly say I should take Computer Engineering over programming right?
> Ok Ill do it and see how it goes.


No, we are just offering opinions based on experience. What appeals to you? Do something that you will enjoy, don't do it because we told you to.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> Ok ok, so you guys mainly say I should take Computer Engineering over programming right?
> Ok Ill do it and see how it goes.


Well I've been saying the exact opposite...


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Accept2 said:


> Dont look at salaries. If you excel in a job the bucks will come. If you choose a job remember you could be doing it for years on end. I know guys who go to Saudi to work on the oil rigs. They make about $300G a year, but they dont have an enjoyable job. Find something you enjoy first, then think about the bucks later.................


alrighty then!


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> Well I've been saying the exact opposite...


I like the idea, but its SOO hard to find a job in that field. Especially in Canada. My teacher said most of them have gone down to the US.


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> I like the idea, but its SOO hard to find a job in that field. Especially in Canada. My teacher said most of them have gone down to the US.


You can still be a CDN and do work in the US. We have a high tech client that is doing that right now. They have about 200 techs in the US at any given moment. The jobs are there, but its a CDN company who is serving the US clients..............


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

cbh747 said:


> I dont disagree. I just said that it was more fun. Although I do disagree with the hack developer remark. That is a pretty broad generalization.
> 
> You may be somewhat unique in getting loads of gratification from your users, in my experience that is not generally the case.


Well in 17 years I haven't seen a Sys Admin make a good developer. Though I have cleaned up millions of lines of bad code they've produced. But then I've done that for people trained in development as well.


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Now I'm more lost then when I got here lol...I don't know which one I'm leaning towards, and you guys seem to be in the middle .


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> Well in 17 years I haven't seen a Sys Admin make a good developer. Though I have cleaned up millions of lines of bad code they've produced. But then I've done that for people trained in development as well.


Exactly!! Anybody can write crappy code.

Also, a sys admin has no aspirations to be a good developer. If that were the case then they would have become programmers. 

There is room in the world for both I suspect.


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Graduates of Computer Engineering find jobs in technical programming systems support, network administration, technical support and product maintenance. They might work for developers, vendors or purchasers of computer products. Graduates report that the skills learned at Humber serve them in creating varied and interesting career paths. 

I took that off the college site. It says that those are the jobs I can get with a computer engineering diploma. Does that look good to you guys?


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

Actually we are writing a job description right now for a tech support guy. Sounds like a fun job. Its going on Monster in a few minutes, not that I think Monster is any good................


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> Graduates of Computer Engineering find jobs in technical programming systems support, network administration, technical support and product maintenance. They might work for developers, vendors or purchasers of computer products. Graduates report that the skills learned at Humber serve them in creating varied and interesting career paths.
> 
> I took that off the college site. It says that those are the jobs I can get with a computer engineering diploma. Does that look good to you guys?


If it is doable, and I believe that Jeff will agree with me here, you are much better of to do Computer Science at Waterloo. 

Are you doing this because you want to or are you doing this just because you have to do something?

What aspect of the field interests you? If you can't come up with one then maybe you should look at something else.


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Too much to think about now, I will come on later and tell you guys what I plan on doing -_-


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

cbh747 said:


> If it is doable, and I believe that Jeff will agree with me here, you are much better of to do Computer Science at Waterloo.
> 
> Are you doing this because you want to or are you doing this just because you have to do something?
> 
> What aspect of the field interests you? If you can't come up with one then maybe you should look at something else.


 
Absolutely!! Computer Science degrees don't focus completely on one thing or another but after the first year you start seeing what you enjoy more and focus your class choices based on it.

But remember they are tougher and alot more work as well.



Here's the reality of the computer industry:

You have to get lucky to find a job fresh from school. Experience qualifies you almost more than any piece of paper these days. It's a catch 22 really.

Remember I'm from Calgary where it's pretty good to be in IT.


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Maybe I should tell you guys ALL the programs I got accepted for .

1.Computer Programming at Sheridan College
2.Computer Programming Analyst at Sheridan College
3.Computer Engineering Technology at Humber College
4.Computer Network and Support Technician at Humber College

Would you guys recommend computer programming analyst?


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> Maybe I should tell you guys ALL the programs I got accepted for .
> 
> 1.Computer Programming at Sheridan College
> 2.Computer Programming Analyst at Sheridan College
> ...


Oh Boy. Well, one of our programmers graduated the Sheridan College program. He is very good at what he does.

Number 4 seems to me to be a bad choice. You are really limiting your employment opportunities.

You still have not answered my question...what are you interested in doing?


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

I am seriously interested in making software. Like stuff on Flash, 3D studio, etc. However, I am not a huge fan of coding


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## cbh747 (Feb 11, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> I am seriously interested in making software. Like stuff on Flash, 3D studio, etc. However, I am not a huge fan of coding


Well, if you want to develop software then do what Jeff said. And learn to like coding because the software is not going to develop itself. Networking shouldn't be your focus, you can pick it up as you go along.


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

All right, programming it is 

This is kind of off topic, but did Slayer ever make a song with Public Enemy?


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

Take computer engineering, the thing with programming, is there's lots of really good programmers who are looking for work. and unless you're better than all of them, you'll just be another one looking for work. Also a lot of places are finding it cheaper to send off the work to places like India.
my .02.


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