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Ask Slashdot: How To Teach Generic Engineers Coding, Networking, and Computing?
davegravy writes: I work at a small but quickly growing acoustic consulting engineering firm, consisting of a mix of mechanical, electrical, civil, and other engineering backgrounds. When I joined almost 10 years ago I was in good company with peers who were very computer literate -- able to develop their own complex excel macros, be their own IT tech support, diagnose issues communicating with or operating instrumentation, and generally dive into any technology-related problem to help themselves. In 2017, these skills and tendencies are more essential than they were 10 years ago; our instruments run on modern OS's and are network/internet-capable, the heavy data processing and analysis we need to do is python-based (SciPy, NumPy) and runs on AWS EC2 instances, and some projects require engineers to interface various data-acquisition hardware and software together in unique ways. The younger generation, while bright in their respective engineering disciplines, seems to rely on senior staff to a concerning degree when it comes to tech challenges, and we're stuck in a situation where we've provided procedures to get results but inevitably the procedures don't cover the vast array of scenarios faced day-to-day. Being a small company we don't have dedicated IT specialists. I believe I gathered my skills and knowledge through insatiable curiosity of all things technology as a child, self-teaching things like Pascal, building and experimenting with my own home LAN, and assembling computers from discrete components. Technology was a fringe thing back then, which I think drew me in. I doubt I'd be nearly as curious about it growing up today given its ubiquity, so I sort of understand why interest might be less common in today's youth.
How do we instill a desire to learn the fundamentals of networking, computing, and coding, so that the younger generation can be self-sufficient and confident working with the modern technology and tools they need to perform -- and be innovative in -- their jobs? I believe that the most effective learning occurs when there's a clearly useful purpose or application, so I'm hesitant to build a training program that consists solely of throwing some online courses at staff. That said, online courses may be a good place to get some background that can be built upon, however most that I've come across are intended for people pursuing careers in computer science, web development, software engineering, etc. Are there any good resources that approach these topics from a more general purpose angle?
How do we instill a desire to learn the fundamentals of networking, computing, and coding, so that the younger generation can be self-sufficient and confident working with the modern technology and tools they need to perform -- and be innovative in -- their jobs? I believe that the most effective learning occurs when there's a clearly useful purpose or application, so I'm hesitant to build a training program that consists solely of throwing some online courses at staff. That said, online courses may be a good place to get some background that can be built upon, however most that I've come across are intended for people pursuing careers in computer science, web development, software engineering, etc. Are there any good resources that approach these topics from a more general purpose angle?
I've found that most applicants suck. If they aren't motivated to learn, and they don't show ability to learn quickly or grasp concepts well - they should seek different type of work. Your solution, sadly, is to find such motivated individuals with eagerness to learn. It's difficult to find. I'm a pretty lazy individual, I'm no genius, but I've never had a problem picking up anything thrown at me. In fact, I throw things at myself to learn. In my late 30's now.
"Being a small company we don't have dedicated IT specialists."
Translation: We are too fucking cheap hire an IT staff to service our IT needs.
Seriously ass-hole, go fuck yourself. Hire the staff that you need and stop complaining. This has nothing to do with the lack of curiosity of anyone. This has everything to do with how your company is fucking cheap. The problem lies with you.
I once worked with an H1-B visa holder who I thought was a great guy and a hard worker. I consider him a good friend from that time of my life. He had never used silverware or a plate before he came to America, so it's not hard to imagine that he'd also not had any deep exposure to tech as a youthful tinkerer, which I understood the original poster to consider favorable, maybe even essential, to his particular workplace's needs. There is a particular stereotype most H1-B workers fit into. They tend to be very intelligent, hard-working people who lack the confidence to take decisive action without frequent oversight or feedback. They are generally great at well-defined tasks that can be converted from specifications into product with rote processes. Coaching them out of that rut often forces both you and them to grow extensively. I mean this an objective look at the challenges involved, as I have developed a fondness for several people in this situation. The same things that tend to make them a bit hesitant in the workforce tend to also make them great people: they generally legitimately care about what others think and are looking for friends in a strange place!
Beyond that, does anyone log into Slashdot anymore? AC's used to be branded as shameless trolls to be ignored, and now it seems like every other post is from one. Maybe it's my fault for not ignoring you, but your comment seemed like it might be intended to be serious.
Tying your shoes is a mechanical operation, but no one would suggest you must have a mechanical engineering degree to do it. Some things you should just know to function in a high-tech environment. Speaking of which, an accidentally unplugged network cable is also most certainly a mechanical issue, which even a lowly mechanical engineer should be able to resolve.