Changing route! HELP plz

[lightng]

Top insider tip: There aren't many people with years of MVC, Entity Framework, Data Services etc on their CV as they haven't officially been out for that long! So pile into those and you'll have as much experience as anyone else.

MVC has been out for a while - its a fairly mature pattern. Maybe not the Microsoft one but there have been others in .NET and they're much of a muchness. I created a home brew .NET MVC myself for one contract as the ASP.NET server model just didn't suit the scale of the app.

[lightng]

I would suggest doing an object oriented programming course first. I'm currently helping a mate do an OU course which covers java, object oriented programming, the basics of UML and an introduction to some design patterns. This is the stage you will find out if you're cut out for development. It'll either click or you'll struggle all the way.

When you've got a solid background in the basics of OO, move onto C sharp and .NET. Very similar syntax to Java so the jump isn't that great. Your main hurdle at this point will be learning the .NET framework. There are also other things that you will need to pick up along the way such as development methodologies, test driven development, automated builds, database development, XML (a bloody big topic in itself), the list goes on and on.

By the way, if you are a good C sharp programmer or VB.NET programmer, you can easily move between the two. I have seen many developers do this successfully and relatively painlessly; I have done so myself. Like I say the framework is the biggest hurdle.

Once you have all the above, you can start looking at the newer .NET frameworks: WPF and Silverlight, WCF, WWF, Entity framework, MVC etc but you really need the basics first.

[jim2406]

i'd be interested to know if anyone has worked anywhere using the entity framework in a production environment!

i did a couple of internal tool projects a year or so ago that used it, but we decided it was a bit pants, so ended up going the nhibernate/subsonic route.

i remember the designer was very poor - worked OK until you changed something, at which point the XML often didn't regenerate properly, so had to go in and change things by hand etc..

guessing it's in a better state now with 4.0.

[PAH]

If you really want to chance your luck on .net, then C# is way more sought after than vb.net.

Top insider tip: There aren't many people with years of MVC, Entity Framework, Data Services etc on their CV as they haven't officially been out for that long! So pile into those and you'll have as much experience as anyone else.

So look for what may be in demand in the near future rather than what has been done to death in the past and now has an army of developers behind it.

[jim2406]

Can someone please advise me on a course from Microsoft or somewhere that will teach me c++ and VB and SQL and .NET all in one if a course does exist.

assuming this isn't a windup, and i'm fairly sure it is:

• there's no point learning VB now really, if you mean VB6 or older. very few jobs, redundant technology, lots of people that can do it.
• you're not going to pick up enough C++ on a course to be useful in a non-junior job, without a solid grounding in development
• the same sentiment, but for .net.

development isn't just something you can pick up in a single course. that's not to say you can't retrain, but you'd need to first of all get a grounding through personal study, then take a junior position at a company that's willing to train you up. it is a complex discipline and will take many years of graft to be sufficiently experienced to compete in the current market (for a decent wage), IMO. even then, you'll never be able to stop learning if you want to remain competitive.

there are exceptions to this rule - people with a disposition for programming who can pick things up very easily and hit the ground running - but that would not be common at all. nearly everyone i know who makes a living coding spend years in rubbish jobs paying their dues.

(my background: long term interest in development, studied computer science at a good uni, 4 years perm, 3 years contracting, and the last 1.5 years at my own company - all doing development work in some capacity).

[Scary]

If you want a book published by Microsoft, Code Complete by Steve McConnell might be a good place to start for a bit of a software development overview. You can look at specific languages and technologies later.

[gingerjedi]

ok, I have been out of work for 5 months and this morning had a look on jobserve and monitored the situation and was in total shock. From 8.30 A.M to 9.30 AM at least 20 jobs where listed on jobserve for programming/developing roles that require C++, Java, c#, SQL, .Net etc vs 5 jobs! for tech support.

Can someone please advise me on a course from Microsoft or somewhere that will teach me c++ and VB and SQL and .NET all in one if a course does exist.

I may not a programmer / developer role as I dont have commercial experience but better then looking down a tunnel with no light and no jobs what so ever.

Any suggestions will be great guys!! i have been on the bench for 5 months or so and at this rate I am going to have to go back serving pints.

ps: I have 6 years experience in tech support 4 of which in Finance that might help

I'm seeing the same, I don't know when they decided you need .Net and Java skills to configure VPN and unlock passwords but there you go.

It seems 3rd line with extensive scripting skills is now 'essential'.

[the_duderama]

ps: I have 6 years experience in tech support 4 of which in Finance that might help

What kind of "tech support"?

[jmo21]

In leaner times, you may be able to do that and blag your way into a role, and I really hate that about IT.

[Gaz_M]

Can someone please advise me on a course from Microsoft or somewhere that will teach me c++ and VB and SQL and .NET all in one if a course does exist.

Not being negative but even if you do find such a course don't expect to walk into a contract on the back of it.

[VectraMan]

From 8.30 A.M to 9.30 AM at least 20 jobs where listed on jobserve for programming/developing roles that require C++, Java, c#, SQL, .Net etc vs 5 jobs! for tech support.

Yes, but most of them are probably fake.

[ChimpMaster]

<snip>

ps: I have 6 years experience in tech support 4 of which in Finance that might help

There's a job for you in India if you want it.

That's where all our bank's jobs are headed.

[Joeuker]

ok, I have been out of work for 5 months and this morning had a look on jobserve and monitored the situation and was in total shock. From 8.30 A.M to 9.30 AM at least 20 jobs where listed on jobserve for programming/developing roles that require C++, Java, c#, SQL, .Net etc vs 5 jobs! for tech support.

Can someone please advise me on a course from Microsoft or somewhere that will teach me c++ and VB and SQL and .NET all in one if a course does exist.

I may not a programmer / developer role as I dont have commercial experience but better then looking down a tunnel with no light and no jobs what so ever.

Any suggestions will be great guys!! i have been on the bench for 5 months or so and at this rate I am going to have to go back serving pints.

ps: I have 6 years experience in tech support 4 of which in Finance that might help