Spherion IT Education.

[Kraeg]

Does anyone know anything about Spherion? As far as I know, they have colleges in Australia, the UK and Singapore (but not North America, although the head office of the parent company is in Florida).

I'm looking at doing the Diploma in Software Development. It's a $15,000(Aus) course, so I want to be sure it's worth it. One thing that has me concered is it's 10 months full-time (31 months part-time), and apparently assumes no IT experience.
Some of the first subjects are Using a Keyboard, Using a Computer, Connecting to the Internet..... I don't want to be paying $500 per month (doing the part-time method) to be bored (although later on I'll be learning new stuff).

 

[sleipnir214]

I strongly recommend against it for two reasons.

First, any 10-month program in software development that also covers "How to Use the Keyboard" can't possibly cover enough material to make the cert worth $8200US. It doesn't matter if you go 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, there just isn't enough time, particularly for the issuing, completion, and grading of programming assignments, without which the course is completely useless.

Second, there is a worldwide slowdown in IT. In times where things are booming (like 18 months ago), then certifications mean something to employers. In slow times (like now), it's experience that matters to employers.

If you are really interested in learning programming, take the time for a 4-year college degree or find a technical program in programming that requires more in prerequisites than "Don't drool on your clothing".

The college program (my preference) doesn't have to be in the States (I'm assuming you're an Aussie from the price quote in $AU) -- I'm confident there is at least one good tough baccalaureate program in computer science in Australia. But make sure that the curriculum covers theory thoroughly. You should see words like "Data structures", "Compilers", "Databases", and "Operating systems" in the names of the core courses, and you need to see a bunch of math, besides. ______________________________________________________________________
TANSTAAFL!

 

[dogbert2]

I tend to agree with 214 here, 10 months is not long
enough to learn one operating system, much less writing
code for said operating system.

Save your money for the long haul, start at a 2 year
college, and take a few courses to see if you really
want to work in this field, if so, then move to a
4 year college and get a degree in computer science
(with perhaps a minor in business, so you have a
good grasp of the money side of I.T.)

In terms of a slowdown, 214 is right again. Here in
the states, we don't expect it to turn around for
at least 12 to 18 months, perhaps longer, and most
jobs are looking for experience (which means degree
+ 2-6 years), or 8+ without a degree. Entry level
positions are hard to come by these days.

 

[Kraeg]

Thanks for those replies (and yeah, in Australia).

I'll probably go back to technical college (a lot cheaper, and I have a lot of subjects from incompleted courses that I can use as advanced standing).

A brief history of mine (in this field):
I began studying COBOL (1991), but quit after thinking it didn't allow much creativity. Over the next 5 years I was in and out of courses, including a Bachelor of Computer Science at University (I couldn't stand Uni).

In 1996 I began studying programming (VB3), and a Diploma in System Analysis. Foolishly, I switched to a Diploma in PC and Network Support to be around friends (I know, stupid.... I don't mind PC/NW Support, but it's not my main interest and I did it for the wrong reasons). I dropped out of the VB3 course once I had learnt enough there to start teaching myself, and I almost completed the Support Diploma.

I then went on to VB4 then VB5, teaching myself, and a couple of years ago started on Access programming (I used to hate Access). I've done Access (and Word and Excel) programming for a few people/companies.... nothing full-time, though. I'm in the process of getting all my completed subjects results together and looking at doing Database Administration and/or Software Development at Technical College (I'll look out for those subjects you mentioned, thanks).

I also know (or did know; I haven't used it for years) Turbo Pascal (and Pascal on Unix from my few months at Uni).

Based upon what happened with (foolishly) changing which Diploma I was doing and how I reacted, I know I want to do programming. I love solving problems and coming up with solutions (when someone asks me if something can be done, I rarely say "no", but work out some way to do it), and I love the learning. And when I see parts of a program coming together, there's no better feeling.

Thanks again.