Career path?

[No2politics]

If you want to do the latter successfully then you need to keep actively learning new things.

Absolutely agree. Fortunately I have a passion for learning new analytical techniques/methods and applying them in business

Just managed to negotiate a 6 month 4 day week extension. Plan to take some classes in data science, where there is a huge skills gap at the moment.

I'm 30 and am hoping to contract right till I retire. Who know what's ill feel like at 40 but ill probably feel the same

[MarillionFan]

Absolutely agree. Fortunately I have a passion for learning new analytical techniques/methods and applying them in business

Just managed to negotiate a 6 month 4 day week extension. Plan to take some classes in data science, where there is a huge skills gap at the moment.

I'm 30 and am hoping to contract right till I retire. Who know what's ill feel like at 40 but ill probably feel the same

If you still learn at the rapid speed you do now once you get married and have kids then good luck to you.

[Old Greg]

If you still learn at the rapid speed you do now once you get married and have kids then good luck to you.

5 1/2 years of interrupted sleep has taken its toll a little.

[doodab]

If you still learn at the rapid speed you do now once you get married and have kids then good luck to you.

5 1/2 years of interrupted sleep has taken its toll a little.

I try and find a gig overseas or staying away if I need to learn new things. Quiet weekends are priceless.

[sasguru]

If you still learn at the rapid speed you do now once you get married and have kids then good luck to you.

It's tough but not impossible. Essentially you need discipline - I set aside either Saturday or Sunday for playing with new stuff. Have done that for years. It helps that I don't work at full capacity during the working week.
It's all quality time and beats rushing around like a blue-arsed fly

[Old Greg]

I try and find a gig overseas or staying away if I need to learn new things. Quiet weekends are priceless.

I'm looking at a permie job overseas. The sleepless ones will be coming with me.

[Old Greg]

It's tough but not impossible. Essentially you need discipline - I set aside either Saturday or Sunday for playing with new stuff. Have done that for years. It helps that I don't work at full capacity during the working week.
It's all quality time and beats rushing around like a blue-arsed fly

You do need to find your dedicated time. I have an 80 minute train journey each way 3 times per week and I use that time. Have been learning some HTML5, CSS and a little Javascript. Trivial perhaps, in the wider world of 'computer stuff', but I've never written a line of code before, so it's hard work at my age and stage of sleep deprivation. Getting there, though.

[MarillionFan]

It's tough but not impossible. Essentially you need discipline - I set aside either Saturday or Sunday for playing with new stuff. Have done that for years. It helps that I don't work at full capacity during the working week.
It's all quality time and beats rushing around like a blue-arsed fly

I like to spend the weekend doing stuff with the kids Sas, but each to their own. (Cat in the Cradle and all that)

[MarillionFan]

You do need to find your dedicated time. I have an 80 minute train journey each way 3 times per week and I use that time. Have been learning some HTML5, CSS and a little Javascript. Trivial perhaps, in the wider world of 'computer stuff', but I've never written a line of code before, so it's hard work at my age and stage of sleep deprivation. Getting there, though.

A train commute is quite useful, but haven't done one of those for years. And frankly plane journey's send me to sleep (that and the free champers)

[RedSauce]

I am only 29 but am already starting to plan my way away from the 'grunt' work. I love programming and the analysis that goes with it, but in my experience problem solving and writing innovative code is such a small proportion of a lot of contracts and I am not sure how many 'admin' sections of applications and boring reports I can write.

My last permie role has put me off management, I managed a development team for a large insurer writing rating engines for quote & buy websites, the 'grunts' were a miserable bunch and argued with every decision anyone made, were negative about anything and can only find fault in every part of life, it was a depressing situation working in a culture like that.