Industry or Research Internship?

sachachua asks: "I'm a sophomore taking up computer science, and since I'll be graduating pretty soon - March 2003 - I'm trying to figure out what to do in order to better prepare myself for the future. I'm really into programming, and I'm considering going for a practicum or an internship in some software company that can really help me develop my potential. I do a lot of web work with PHP, Java and Perl, and I pick up new languages easily. =) However, it's a bit difficult because I'm way over in the Philippines, which is a Third World country. Since it's so far away, my campus doesn't get visited by all those companies that court other graduates. And even if they do manage to find me, there are all sorts of visas to arrange. But the international exposure will be really great, and I want to meet other geeks. =)"

"I'm also really interested in computer science education and I want to do research. I'm thinking about going for graduate and post-graduate education, and I've been looking for professors who have done research in CS Ed. It's still kinda challenging because education abroad is expensive, so I have to have a good enough record for financial aid. I want to be a teacher, and I want to improve the way computer science is being taught. I know it's _really_ difficult, especially since I'm just a student right now, but if I work hard at it I know I'll find a way.

What advice would you have for a student who's at one of those crossroads? Should I go for the internship, do well in the industry, and make something that lots of people can use? Should I look for an internship at a university that does research in computer science education, and help develop the next generation of whiz kids? What are some other choices I might not know of yet?"

Comments

Be wary of sponsored H1B

[syrupMatt]

There is always the route of contacting companies in the US, and getting them to sponser you for an H1B visa if/when you get hired. However...

Be very careful about the terms and conditions that come along with this. It may seem like a company is offering the world to you, but, rest assured, there is fine print. Unfortunately, due to somewhat lax oversight and the desperate need for technical personnel in the United States right now, alot of up and coming .com's and related businesses are using the H1B as a 2k version of Indentured Servitude.

At a previous employer of mine (and this is not an isolated incident, just one i happend to be a part of), we had hired several workers from India, and then sponsered them for H1Bs. However, after being the in country for a certain amount of time, they asked for a nominal increase in pay (much like any worker would after a set period of time, in this case, 9 months.) The programmers were denied the raise, and told that any further asking would result in the termination of the companies kindness in the H1B process. Also, if there were fired, it would make things extremly difficult, since there is only a set amount of time you have to get a new job and have your new company pick up the visa tab, lest you be deported.

The process can be an excellent thing for people in your position, with talent and skills that are in demand. However, just make sure you read the fine print, and if possible, talk to other employees in the company who may have gone throught the process themselves.

P.S. I think i remember seeing a link in a story on /. as to companies that had/are sponsoring H1B visas, and their fairness (for lack of a better term) in the process. I could be wrong (or it could have been on another site). Look around, do your research, and good luck:).

research, ed interests: stick with university

[slarson]

"I'm also really interested in computer science education and I want to do research. I'm thinking about going for graduate and post-graduate education, and I've been looking for professors who have done research in CS Ed."

If you're thinking of a career in research and or education, I would suggest that you're best to stick in academia for at least a graduate degree. It sounds like you're more interested in CS than Education in itself, so perhaps an MS or PhD in CS might be a good option. On the other hand, you mention that you want to be a teacher, which means you'll probably need to go to teacher's college at some point. In North America, that's just a year, which is no biggie. A Master's in CS and a teaching degree would take three years or so and would put you in an excellent position to teach, and with your ambition and drive, to eventually affect how CS is taught on a larger scale. Of course, to teach at the university level, you'll need a PhD to get a faculty appointment. If you're keen on this, go for it. We always need more good teachers in academia.

Of course, all this may be different in the Phillipines. I can only speak for the North American situation.

"It's still kinda challenging because education abroad is expensive, so I have to have a good enough record for financial aid. I want to be a teacher, and I want to improve the way computer science is being taught. I know it's _really_ difficult, especially since I'm just a student right now, but if I work hard at it I know I'll find a way."

Ambition and hard work can go a long, long way, so don't get discouraged.

"What advice would you have for a student who's at one of those crossroads? Should I go for the internship, do well in the industry, and make something that lots of people can use? Should I look for an internship at a university that does research in computer science education, and help develop the next generation of whiz kids? What are some other choices I might not know of yet?"

My final point would be this: to be an excellent CS teacher (at any level), become a good computer scientist first. Just the fact that you have a passion for teaching will make you a good teacher; thorough knowledge of the subject, some training in teaching, intelligence, common sense, empathy, and experience will help make you an excellent teacher.

I should warn you that I'm a grad student myself, and enjoying the experience immensely, so my views are biased towards the academic route :-)

Good luck - Stefan