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Leveraging Development Skills in Other Fields?
It Can't Be All Bad asks: "I've been working as a programmer for a few years now, and I really love the work. I'm trying to think ahead of possible ways to leverage my skills into more specific areas where programmers are welcome and can find work. Areas like bio and chemical informatics appear very interesting ,but for the most part they seem to be for chem/bio majors with masters degrees. My biggest problem is that I'm self taught with only about a years worth of college experience. At this point in my life (with a family, kids, and bills), going back to school just isn't an option anymore. I wanted to know if anyone has had any success utilizing their development skills in specific fields that don't require masters degrees, and what areas I could be overlooking. Like most people here, I just want to be a part of exciting projects with some sort of purpose behind them."
Look for a tie in. It's easier to squeeze it in the nonprofit sector.
I did the exact opposite of your question (leveraged other skills to get into development), but I suppose the concepts are the same. I have a dregree in history from Penn State, but since I was wee ittle I've been tinkering with computers. Hell, I broke the computer so many times when I was little my Mom had to have her company's tech guy come out and lock it down so I couldn't screw it up again.
At this point - pretty much 15 years later (8-23) - I'm an experienced network admin and web developer regardless of whether or not I've had formal instruction in them (I took Intro to C++ at Penn State before getting forced out of the Computer Science program due to low grades - I went and got myself addicted to a MUD. But that's a differnet story. Heh.)
Anyhow. My specialization in history? The US Civil War. My job? I'm the one man IT department for these guys.
ACs are modded -6. I don't read you, I don't mod you, I don't see you. Don't like it? Don't be a coward.
... or if they did he said "Screw you."
even if you don't feel like you need it, go ahead and get your degree. It will pay off in the long run. Find a way to do it, go to night school, live off of your wife's salary, borrow, take part time contracts, go to overload classes. Get your degree.
The harder, more difficult, more math intensive your degree the better. The sooner you can get it, the better.
[signature]
Programming skills + subject competence(science, history, etc) = desirable person
Programming skills only = code monkey
People outside the IT department (managers, small business owners, potential consulting clients) are MUCH more likely to take you seriously with a degree in something. If you did get into something like cheminformatics and were able to learn some science as you go, that would be useful too. -