Career Change

[imtommygunn]

Hi folks.

I'm coming to the end of a 3 year part time masters course in Software development, to enable me to change careers. I work for a large firm in Belfast and spoke with my current employer about changing roles from an operations type role to a dev role. I was told that this would be supported but has recently been pulled and told that the role available would be more a BA type role, while keeping some of my own current responsibilities. My initial thoughts are that this is not the way to go as I am more interesting in dev/coding and want to gain experience here ASAP. They are selling the fact that I would be able to keep my current salary and would gain more exposure to the dev team and therefore help a transition in 12-18 months if I decided to go that way. Wondering what the starting salary for junior devs would be if anyone has any info that would be helpful, so I can weigh up my options?
Thanks

According to glassdoor the average salary for a grad is ~25k. I have seen it about taht and a bit less.

Brick I think your advice there is sound.

[HiMucker]

Thing is, I actually enjoy working for the current employer (in the main) and the people.  But I know I can get paid more with similar employers within the Industry, circa 20%.  I am prepared to go, but not a case where I really want to....but I can't turn down a significant rise in salary.

Tintin heres what you do, write a number of the salary you want on a piece of paper, go in to your managers office and slam it down on his desk, face down and tell him firmly "give me a number, and if its not bigger than the one I have written down here, adios amigo"

[Ethan Tremblay]

Hi folks.

I'm coming to the end of a 3 year part time masters course in Software development, to enable me to change careers. I work for a large firm in Belfast and spoke with my current employer about changing roles from an operations type role to a dev role. I was told that this would be supported but has recently been pulled and told that the role available would be more a BA type role, while keeping some of my own current responsibilities. My initial thoughts are that this is not the way to go as I am more interesting in dev/coding and want to gain experience here ASAP. They are selling the fact that I would be able to keep my current salary and would gain more exposure to the dev team and therefore help a transition in 12-18 months if I decided to go that way. Wondering what the starting salary for junior devs would be if anyone has any info that would be helpful, so I can weigh up my options?
Thanks

Depends on the software house you may be going to? Some of the smaller software houses that deal in web development would offer anything from the late teens into the early 20's but nothing more. 

I would be looking down the line and assessing where you want to be in 5 or 10 years.  Getting into the right company is more important than anything in my opinion also.  You might land a job where you are learning nothing at all and churning out the same shit every week making the business money but not furthering your own growth. 

Some of those larger businesses, although very corporate, have a good internal path for growth, other businesses you will find you may hit your limit fairly fast. 

[Tony Baloney]

Agree with tbrick etc. on this and why you should approach your employer and explain your current mindset.

I know a fella tried it last year about a month after getting a decent pay rise. Got offered a better job with more money, terms etc. and could we match it to keep him. We told him he had got a decent pay rise and weren't offering anything more so let us know when you plan to leave so we can get a job ad out for a replacement.

Came back a couple of days later with tail between legs saying the new job wasn't right for him. Happy enough to keep him but he has created ill will towards him and looked like a bit of a clown for a while. Stick or twist.

[thebigfella]

Hi folks.

I'm coming to the end of a 3 year part time masters course in Software development, to enable me to change careers. I work for a large firm in Belfast and spoke with my current employer about changing roles from an operations type role to a dev role. I was told that this would be supported but has recently been pulled and told that the role available would be more a BA type role, while keeping some of my own current responsibilities. My initial thoughts are that this is not the way to go as I am more interesting in dev/coding and want to gain experience here ASAP. They are selling the fact that I would be able to keep my current salary and would gain more exposure to the dev team and therefore help a transition in 12-18 months if I decided to go that way. Wondering what the starting salary for junior devs would be if anyone has any info that would be helpful, so I can weigh up my options?
Thanks

Not sure on the junior dev salary in Belfast but you'd be wasting 12-18 months of your career sticking with the role they offered. You need to be writing code in real world delivery/best practice rather than doing coding problems and tutorials.

[majestic]

Hi folks.

I'm coming to the end of a 3 year part time masters course in Software development, to enable me to change careers. I work for a large firm in Belfast and spoke with my current employer about changing roles from an operations type role to a dev role. I was told that this would be supported but has recently been pulled and told that the role available would be more a BA type role, while keeping some of my own current responsibilities. My initial thoughts are that this is not the way to go as I am more interesting in dev/coding and want to gain experience here ASAP. They are selling the fact that I would be able to keep my current salary and would gain more exposure to the dev team and therefore help a transition in 12-18 months if I decided to go that way. Wondering what the starting salary for junior devs would be if anyone has any info that would be helpful, so I can weigh up my options?
Thanks

Not sure on the junior dev salary in Belfast but you'd be wasting 12-18 months of your career sticking with the role they offered. You need to be writing code in real world delivery/best practice rather than doing coding problems and tutorials.

Yeah - I was thinking this myself, I am really keen to start learning in a professional setting as soon as possible, and as Ethan mentioned I really want to find a role that will help develop my skills.

Is there anywhere that you and Ethan would avoid in terms of churning out the same stuff week in week out? Also, anywhere you would recommend for a strong learning and development culture?

On another topic, any React-Native developers on here? I am trying to create an app which will use some image processing, I was going to use Open CV, but this requires Native Modules and the code to to written in Objective-C, feel like I have bitten off more than I can chew for my final project.

[Ethan Tremblay]

Hi folks.

I'm coming to the end of a 3 year part time masters course in Software development, to enable me to change careers. I work for a large firm in Belfast and spoke with my current employer about changing roles from an operations type role to a dev role. I was told that this would be supported but has recently been pulled and told that the role available would be more a BA type role, while keeping some of my own current responsibilities. My initial thoughts are that this is not the way to go as I am more interesting in dev/coding and want to gain experience here ASAP. They are selling the fact that I would be able to keep my current salary and would gain more exposure to the dev team and therefore help a transition in 12-18 months if I decided to go that way. Wondering what the starting salary for junior devs would be if anyone has any info that would be helpful, so I can weigh up my options?
Thanks

Not sure on the junior dev salary in Belfast but you'd be wasting 12-18 months of your career sticking with the role they offered. You need to be writing code in real world delivery/best practice rather than doing coding problems and tutorials.

Yeah - I was thinking this myself, I am really keen to start learning in a professional setting as soon as possible, and as Ethan mentioned I really want to find a role that will help develop my skills.

Is there anywhere that you and Ethan would avoid in terms of churning out the same stuff week in week out? Also, anywhere you would recommend for a strong learning and development culture?

On another topic, any React-Native developers on here? I am trying to create an app which will use some image processing, I was going to use Open CV, but this requires Native Modules and the code to to written in Objective-C, feel like I have bitten off more than I can chew for my final project.

Stay away from Digital Agencies that create websites and are trying to claw in new business week in week out.  I worked for one and you were making Wordpress sites every week, your brain turns to much fairly fast. 

My only advise would be to look for a business that is creating/building products, rather than selling services.  A SAAS type business is what you are after.  Where they have their own software, they are constantly working at it and innovating. 

With the pandemic, remote working is a given so look further afield to the UK also, don't limit yourself to Ireland. 

[pbat]

Just wondering has anyone went back to university as a mature student. I regret dropping out of college at 20 and decided I want to back up 25 years Construction Management with some qualifications. I have email UUJ admissions and head of faculty with no response. Do you have to go through the UCAS process as a mature student? Also is there any financial support going back?. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Milltown Row2]

Just wondering has anyone went back to university as a mature student. I regret dropping out of college at 20 and decided I want to back up 25 years Construction Management with some qualifications. I have email UUJ admissions and head of faculty with no response. Do you have to go through the UCAS process as a mature student? Also is there any financial support going back?. Any advice would be appreciated.

Would your current job not pay towards this if it benefits them?

[restorepride]

Try teaching.  According to this board, it is really easy.

[lurganblue]

Try teaching.  According to this board, it is really easy.

Sure i'm doing that now as well a my own job. 

[trailer]

Try teaching.  According to this board, it is really easy.

Sure i'm doing that now as well a my own job. 

That's a LOL from me.

[delgany]

Try teaching.  According to this board, it is really easy.

Sure i'm doing that now as well a my own job. 

What resources and detailed plans did you use, did you differentiate the learning for the different ability groups in front of you . Did you find the NI curricilum difficult to interpret , did you live a broad balanced curriculum ...be delighted to hear how you managed all that by yourself

[marty34]

Try teaching.  According to this board, it is really easy.

Sure i'm doing that now as well a my own job. 

What resources and detailed plans did you use, did you differentiate the learning for the different ability groups in front of you . Did you find the NI curricilum difficult to interpret , did you live a broad balanced curriculum ...be delighted to hear how you managed all that by yourself

Do teachers actually use a curriculum?

That's a serious question.

[delgany]

Try teaching.  According to this board, it is really easy.

Sure i'm doing that now as well a my own job. 

What resources and detailed plans did you use, did you differentiate the learning for the different ability groups in front of you . Did you find the NI curricilum difficult to interpret , did you live a broad balanced curriculum ...be delighted to hear how you managed all that by yourself

Do teachers actually use a curriculum?

That's a serious question.

CCEA website gives a brief outline