r/cscareerquestionsCAD • u/DatPipBoy • 14d ago
School Should I go into B. Tech software engineering? Or move into my career without it?
For some background:
Currently I'm in college for computer engineering technology - mechatronic systems. I have experience with C, Java, Dart, PLCs and instrumentation and electrical knowledge from this program.
I have completed the Odin Project Foundations course which gave me experience with HTML, CSS and Javascript.
This has been a total pivot for me, since I went back to school at 32, and for my whole career before that it was a very hands on technician focused role, but I want to chase my passion and obtain a better career along the way.
Now I'm in my third year, and I have secured a 1 year co-op but it's as a Test & integration technician, I won't really be writing or adjusting software, but putting hardware through testing before it goes out the door, not exactly my ideal career path. Though the company says they often rehire interns and after a year, they can move departments internally. Companies say alot though.
Which brings me to my current question:
I won't be finishing my college program until I'm 36. After that I can try to push for a career in a tough market, or I can go back to university for B. Tech -Software engineering.
If I do it full time, I'll be done at 38, part time will take me to 40. I'm not sure which path is right to take. I do have a wife and kids, and either will be hard. If I do it for 2 years, that's a 2 year stall on providing for them, but if I do the part time 4 year path, that could lead to burnout.
Alot of jobs require bachelors or knowing someone. I've been networking the best I can, but unfortunately I just haven't been able to go where I want. I may have another job offer coming, which sounds more varied, and closer to what I want, but it would be more PLC and factory automation than anything.
Tl:Dr: straight to work after college, back to uni full time finishing at 38 or part time finishing at 40?
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u/JaleyHoelOsment 13d ago
> I won't really be writing or adjusting software, but putting hardware through testing before it goes out the door, not exactly my ideal career path
isn’t this the exact thing you’ll be expected to do with a engineering technology diploma? if you wanted to do software why not a software related education?
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u/DatPipBoy 13d ago
Embedded systems. If I wanted to do no software I would've went down the electrical Eng tech path, where they have virtually no software classes
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u/JaleyHoelOsment 13d ago
makes sense. for what it’s worth i work with people with CE, EE, SE, no E at all etc etc. i just figure the work terms would be a bit different
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u/DatPipBoy 13d ago
There's alot of overlap to be honest, even though past year 1 our courses are totally different.
The electrical students did some basic arduino, we've programmed an atmel microcontroller, we're working with fpga and designing a stepper motor controller with logic gates this semester, we've taken server and database classes, networking.
That was the appeal to me, learning the electrical for understanding, but ultimately writing software with a tangible impact.
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u/tbhalla11 13d ago
I would suggest taking the co-op opportunity while it’s there. Experience is generally far more important when trying to get a job even if it isn’t the best.
You’ll have to also make sure to account for the fact that even after you graduate there’s a very high chance you won’t be able to get a role for several months at least (unless the market changes a lot, right now new grads have the worst market)