Hello! I'm considering getting a Degree in Computer Science. Can you tell me what would be some suitable careers in Computer Science? I also want to know if there are ANY computer science jobs that exist in Detroit, MI. I don't want to relocate. Also, what would be some entry level jobs in Computer Science/Programming?

(p.s. As you may already know, I am a youngster considering his career options.)

wow, someone from Detroit, made my day. I'm actually at Wayne State, and I have many computer science friends here, might help you out since you're local. I'll ask them about it

Thanks! :D :D

With a CS degree, you can do anything with a little bit of extra learning for the specific job.

The beauty of the thing is that CS teaches you how stuff works. Once you know and understand the fundamentals, you can catch the specifics of any computer-related field on the fly. Of course, you have to have the time and will to teach yourself in this specific area. I suggest you focus on some area you really like and that suits you best. When possible, take courses in that direction and maybe get something extra too.

Don't worry about the career just yet.. It will take years for you to get that degree and things can change a lot in that timeframe.

Thanks. I was kind of considering being a computer programmer... Are game programmers and computer programmers the same thing? If I were to take courses in college for programming, what language would you advise me to learn in college and now while I still have the want to?

C and C++ are the languages for performance applications like games and complicated software suites. But then again, major programming techniques are the same in every language - you only have to figure out the way to do stuff and then look up in the manual how exactly it is done in this specific language. The only dividing factor is whether the language happens to be object-oriented or not. I recommend you try to keep to the OO side of things.

So...do you know of any computer science jobs that exist in Detroit, MI? Also, what college would you suggest has the best Computer Science program?

If you want to learn game programming you would most likely have to go to a specialized school. From my experience with this degree, they teach you the basics of a few different languages in a public college. In most, you dont get to pick the languages that you want to learn... you just learn what they offer. The hardest thing about finding a job after you get the degree is that most employers want experience, usually like 4 years. Entry level jobs are very hard to come by. Also most places want a bachelors, so if you get an associates it will be more difficult also. At least that is how it is in Ohio. Jut get on like Monster.com or something like that and look at the jobs availible in your area and look at thier requirements, it should tell you alot.

Go for Mechanical Engineering.

You can develop a lot of useful s/w with mechanical applications.

You don't need to get a Computer Science degree for s/w development.

Guys, you are making me worried....maybe I shouldn't enter into the field of Computer Science....considering that there are VERY FEW CS jobs in Detroit.....and very few entry level jobs.....I mean, I don't want to relocate....I LOVE the Motor City...

Go for Mechanical Engineering.

You can develop a lot of useful s/w with mechanical applications.

You don't need to a Computer Science degree for s/w development.

he asked for information about CS, dont make the man change his major, its his life, jeez.

I gave my opionion to prepare him for what its like after shool. He could be like me and go to school for a couple of years and be excited about getting a job dealing with computers then when he gets out he is discuouraged about not being able to find a job and feels like he wasted his time. I have been out of school for 3 years and havent been able to get a job without experience or a higher degree. Granted, I am in Ohio and the job market could be different in Detroit, I just suggested that he look into it a little more and see what the field is like in his area before making a concrete decision.

I don't want to relocate.

I was kind of considering being a computer programmer...

"dont make the man change his major"

He apparently doesn't have a major yet.

See, I want to major in CS, but you guys are scaring me with the fact that there aren't many computer jobs in Michigan...and I don't want to relocate because Detroit, MI, The Motor City is my home, and I don't want to leave my city....no matter what reputation it has...Can anyone help me with finding jobs in Detroit that can use a Computer Science degree?

Really, do you want that job tomorrow? This year?
Things can change a lot in a year or more. EA may decide to move all its game development to Detroit; you may find a pretty South Korean exchange student and move to Far East.. Would you rather spend your life in Detroit doing something you hate or spend your life somewhere else doing something you like?

What about computer networking. They make bank. Thats what I am majoring in. It definitely takes work, but it's well worth it. I know people in the business who make upwards of 200K a year. A friend of mines dad works for Lockheed Martin and I can see by the way he spends his money. He's got a 2004 Mustang GT, 2005 Mitsubishi Evo 8, 2006 Mazda Speed 6, Chevrolet Colorado, and a few other cars and 2 motorcycles and a 4,000 sq foot house. Of course hes the lead guy in his department, but still. Hes very comfortable. And my friend is going to have his college fully paid for by his parents which is 30k a year.

I know some of you may say spoiled but thats not the point, point is, Computer Networking makes money. There will always be businesses that need computer networks and servers to keep stuff running.

There are literally hundreds of different jobs in the IT field.

I do UNIX and J2EE (Java Enterprise Applications) - basically I build, test and configure Web Applications infrastructure, and then support that when it goes live. (Work with WebSphere, UNIX, Perl, etc.)

Some other jobs that seem in demand a lot:

Developer (J2EE stuff is big, i.e. writing .jsp, EJBs, etc... C++ or .NET is good too!)
UNIX administrator (need to know Linux, Solaris, AIX, etc...)
DBA (Become an expert in Oracle, Sybase, and especially SQL...)
Network engineer (learn Cisco Routers and switches, TCP/IP, etc...)
Windows Network Administrator (Windows domain controllers, Exchange, ISA server, get as many Microsoft Certs as you can.)

Getting the Degree is just the beginning, you will be entering a field where lifelong study and commitment is paramount!

But also, its a very rewarding field. Although the hours can be long, and it can be stressful (trying working in IT for a bank, or in telecommunications, etc) but the pay is GOOD (I am earning more than any of my friends, etc and am still underpaid), you can become a contractor when you get good (and double or even triple your income) and you will get access to all sorts of interesting hardware, software, courses, etc.

All in all, I love being in IT, and if its meant for you, you will too.

Games programming is quite good fun I hear, but

1)its stressful,
2)its hard to get into,
3)your future can depend a lot on how the game sells.

There are many other areas of IT that are potentially just as interesting, but offer more easy to obtain and steady work.

Best thing to do right now is become a J2EE programmer, that's very in demand and pays well. But its important to pick something you will enjoy, coz you are going to be doing it a lot.

Oh, and even although the CS course will teach you many good things, and will open your eyes about computers, you will also need to learn other stuff, because they don't really prepare you for the real world and the job market. For the job market, you need to get certifications if you can, i.e. Sun Java Programmer, Microsoft MSCE, Cisco Engineer, UNIX certs, Oracle Certified DBA, etc. These certs, plus your degree, will keep you in work and in good money.

Oh, and in IT there are jobs all over the place, and things move really fast!!! The last two jobs I have done have lasted just 2 years each, and so much happened during that time. You can make relationships with IT recruiters and you start to get to hear about ALL the IT jobs going in your area, you can go for interviews often, just too see if you can get more money or something better.

I'm glad to be in IT - its exciting. Just the other day, I was hearing about doing WebSphere work in Amsterdam. The pay was first class, and only for a few months, then I get back home and have enough money so that I don't have to work for months. Or, the other day I heard about a UNIX job where I could work from home.

IT Stands for Information Technology, right? What does an IT representative do? They have IT jobs in banks?! Hmmmm....maybe I might be able to get a job in Detroit.....where else can I find IT jobs?

Well of course there are IT jobs in banks, there are IT jobs everywhere! I work for Kellogg/Keebler on their logistics side, mainly 3PL. I maintain part of their Warehouse Management System, which is RFID. Just about everywhere you look there is some IT.

YES!!! I think I may have found a career that would allow me to stay in Detroit....so, what would I have to do to gain experience as an information technologist while still remaining open to becoming a programmer?

Oh..another add-on (don't want to edit last post since this is unrelated), what's the difference between a Bachelor of Arts, and a Bachelor of Science degree?

you may find a pretty South Korean exchange student and move to Far East..

A Bachelor of Arts, might get you there faster.

So in other words, they're both of the same merit when it comes to getting the job?

In my experience, employers care about other work you have done, not what academic qualifications you have. They care about your skills.

I've never been asked in an IT job about my degree. No one cares.

Actually, you'd be far better spending that college money on getting a range of certifications, if I were you... Microsoft, Cisco, IBM WebSphere, learning to program, SQL, etc.

In the meantime, try to get computing work. Get a job working fixing computers. Try to get involved in networking stuff - cabling, hubs, switches, all of that stuff looks great on your CV.

If I had it over again, I would probably have done some maybe 2 year or so technical course at a college instead of a degree (maybe in networking or programming) and then sublimented that with certification. If I'd done that I would be about 5 years ahead at least in my career by now.

In my experience, employers care about other work you have done, not what academic qualifications you have. They care about your skills.

I've never been asked in an IT job about my degree. No one cares.


Maybe it's different there than it is here in the states. In my experience, if you dont have that little paper saying you graduated, your not getting very far. I have seen SO many department managers, with a degree, that were about as sharp as a bag of wet mice. Yet they make $75k+ a year.

Just my .02 though......

Oh, and if you want a job working for a bank doing IT, good areas are:

J2EE programming (JSP, EJB, XML, SOAP, etc...)
SQL / Oracle, Sybase.
Firewalls (Cisco )
Microsoft Certs (they always need a domain for IT staff to log into and use)

Learning to program in Java and write J2EE apps is probably best, even if you now you limit yourself to running on Tomcat and Mysql, both of which you can download for free. Learn SQL also and JDBC so you can write apps that talk to a database. Then you can get a job as a Web Applications Developer.

Why not get into Networking instead? Try one of the Microsoft certification Networking courses, then do some Windows Domain administration. Maybe learn some Cisco stuff too, which will include setting up routers and working with IP subnets.

What I am trying to say is have a look about and then pick an area like Networking or programming or databases and then get into it full steam ahead. That will stand you in much better stead than any degree.

Maybe it's different there than it is here in the states.

Yes, that is entirely possible.

Actually I really need to learn more about SQL myself, other than doing simple queries and the like. Got any suggestions?

OK.....so I should expand beyond C/C++ programming? Wow, all of this stuff is making my head spin.....So, while working on my degree, I should also try to get certifications?

Knowing a programming language isn't enough these days - you almost certainly need to know about SQL and you also need to know about the kind of platform that the applications will be running on, i.e. UNIX. You will need to be able to use test and UAT systems that are similar to the environment that the production servers are, therefore learning UNIX - even just the basics - is going to be important.

So, while working on my degree, I should also try to get certifications?


No, do either or. Doing both at once is too much.

OK....so what do you guys suggest I do? Go to college, or work on certification? P.S. I go to Detroit Renaissance High School, if that makes a difference...

I would say go to college.

Probably go to college. You're only young once, so have a nice time, but try to keep your mind on your goals, as there are many distractions at college.

Hmm, I hope this is on-topic enough for this thread. Seems like the best place to ask.

I'm new around here, and as I just stated in my introduction post recently, I'm a university student from Canada whose field of study has nothing to do with CS. My real passions are what I'm studying in school, (Theatre, Film, Language etc.) but I'd also like to learn computer sciencey stuff. Not only am I genuinely interested, but I see it as something I could possibly be employed in, until I get my big break in the entertainment industry. (ie. once I'm finished school.)

So my question, I guess, is really about education. How likely is it that I could teach myself enough to be eligeble/desirable for entry level jobs in the field? Do those of you with experience think that employers would even consider somebody not taking CS at school, even if my resume says I know X, Y and Z?
By the way, when I say "entry level job" I'm talking things like doing HTML work for a certain department at my local university, or doing IT work for a charity group who need a pro around for when they can't figure something out in Word.

And if it is likely that I could teach myself things, then what things should I focus on? Right now I'm still brushing up on my html knowledge and tinkering around with Dreamweaver. I have both a Windows and a Mac computer, but I'm considering downloading Ubuntu Linux on my PC and figuring out how to use it. Is that an asset, or a waste of time?

Thanks for any advice. =D

It depends on the employer, but I was able to tech myself enough to get a job at the Uni writing a program to control stepper motors in a optics experiment.

Learning Linux would definatly be a plus, but Ubuntu isn't really the way to learn. Install Gentoo by hand compiling from source and you will learn considerably more about how Linux works, and as a bonus you will know how to fix your system when something goes wrong.

Yeah, ok, I don't know where I got the idea that Ubuntu would be good - I guess I just read about some of the main distributions and thought it sounded the most appealing, but I'll check out Gentoo for sure. Thank you!

Actually I really need to learn more about SQL myself, other than doing simple queries and the like. Got any suggestions?
Teach yourself SQL functions and programming languages such as PL/pgSQL (http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/interactive/plpgsql.html).

Also, if you know the "basic" SQL queries, then start combining them, create nested queries, union, intersect, inner/outer join etc.

Optimize the queries, find out the fastest and most efficient queries with, for example, "explain analyze" command.

Use transactions (begin - commit - rollback on error).

I'm thinking about PostgreSQL when providing command examples, but they should be common enough to be the same in MySQL, Oracle or whichever database(s) you use.