Computer Science Student looking for advice

[ally3601]

Hi guys

Currently in second year of my computer science course and have been looking at doing placements during the summer. Does anyone who works in IT know if something like this is beneficial? Currently work at a supermarket so not really related to my degree at all, any advice welcome

[dannyDC2]

I would urge you 100% to get as much work experience as you can.

[SlidingSideways]

^ yep, that. With bells on.

A degree is all well and good, but experience, with good references after will open far more doors.
Which side of computing are you wanting to get into? If it's coding, participation in open source projects, or some published personal projects that showcase your skills can be hugely helpful as well.

[944fan]

SlidingSideways said:

^ yep, that. With bells on.

A degree is all well and good, but experience, with good references after will open far more doors.
Which side of computing are you wanting to get into? If it's coding, participation in open source projects, or some published personal projects that showcase your skills can be hugely helpful as well.

Absolutely. Experience,no matter how small counts for loads when it comes to getting a job. If you can't get the commercial skills then doing yur own projects is also a good way.

I just took on a grad. He had his own Git repository set up with all his projects in. That sold it for me.

[Ynox]

+1 for as much experience as possible. Would have made life easier for me a decade ago if I'd done it.

Hell, if you can, do an intercalated year. Do well and you'll probably be taken on after uni.

A GitHub repo would also go down well, although make sure the code is at least vaguely tidy and works!

[ATG]

My firm makes a big effort to take on a large number of undergrad summer interns each year (and we pay them). I think we end up offering well over half of them jobs. If someone wants to get onto our grad recruitment scheme, they'd be daft not to try to get an internship first.

[TheAllSeeingPie]

Definitely try and get some experience in industry. Also try and attend a few hackdays like http://www.hackmanchester.com (shameless plug, sorry), if you win it's a nice thing to put on your CV.

Any ideas or side projects you have should be put up on GitHub. If anyone sends me a CV with a repo URL on it I tend to have a look. It's a great way of proving that you've taken in what your learning.

[ally3601]

Thanks for all the replies chaps, definitely going to look at getting a placement to get some experience

[Greg-]

I'm a computer science grad, I didn't do a placement, I wish I had. Do it.

[otolith]

Have been reading a lot of CS grad CVs recently, and experience is a massive advantage. I have noticed, though, that a lot of them get stiffed doing menial work and front line support in their gap year, though, which is of limited value. Do it, but don't get stiffed.

[Du1point8]

I did do computing and got a placement with HSBC, the rest is as we say... history.

If I didn't do that placement I would not be where I am today.

[TwistingMyMelon]

Deffo get one, company I used to work for offered jobs to their placement students depending on them getting their predicted grades, plus you can really see how everything works.

[craigsup]

I'm currently on placement as a CS student
Love my degree and my placement is giving me real world experience as to how big SE companies operate.

The scale of the program we create is enormeous. I was used to working with < 20 files while at uni, now we have thousands. Plus the pay is great!

[SwissJonese]

dannyDC2 said:

I would urge you 100% to get as much work experience as you can.

^^ This. I had a summer work placement when I did my Computer Science degree. Sadly I found out my course was a bit behind the times and it didn't really teach me anything interesting so I quit and then the work placement company hired me and bingo 15 years later still in IT. But stick at the degree as I missed out on a few amazing jobs around the world only because I lacked a degree.

[ehonda]

Du1point8 said:

I did do computing and got a placement with HSBC, the rest is as we say... history.

If I didn't do that placement I would not be where I am today.

According to your profile you're 'up north'.

I did a CS degree and didn't do a placement and I am down south. So I think it's pretty clear that the OP should decide where he wants to live post graduation before committing

Seriously OP - do it, it can only be beneficial to you.

(I went to uni at 21 so had prior work experience, hence me choosing not to do a placement)

[Du1point8]

ehonda said:

Du1point8 said:

I did do computing and got a placement with HSBC, the rest is as we say... history.

If I didn't do that placement I would not be where I am today.

According to your profile you're 'up north'.

I did a CS degree and didn't do a placement and I am down south. So I think it's pretty clear that the OP should decide where he wants to live post graduation before committing

Seriously OP - do it, it can only be beneficial to you.

(I went to uni at 21 so had prior work experience, hence me choosing not to do a placement)

HSBC retail infrastructure and data centre is up north in Sheffield and hasn't moved, I studied in Leeds in early 2000s.

I happen to have moved down to London 2006 with HSBC and still in Finance, but quite a few levels higher in consultancy for large banks, etc.

[ally3601]

craigsup said:

I'm currently on placement as a CS student
Love my degree and my placement is giving me real world experience as to how big SE companies operate.

The scale of the program we create is enormeous. I was used to working with < 20 files while at uni, now we have thousands. Plus the pay is great!

Is it a year long placement you're doing? I'm looking to do a summer one but if the opportunity to do a year long came about I wouldn't say no

[ally3601]

ehonda said:

According to your profile you're 'up north'.

I did a CS degree and didn't do a placement and I am down south. So I think it's pretty clear that the OP should decide where he wants to live post graduation before committing

Seriously OP - do it, it can only be beneficial to you.

(I went to uni at 21 so had prior work experience, hence me choosing not to do a placement)

I live just outside Edinburgh and go to uni there, so would be looking towards staying up here

[Du1point8]

ally3601 said:

craigsup said:

I'm currently on placement as a CS student
Love my degree and my placement is giving me real world experience as to how big SE companies operate.

The scale of the program we create is enormeous. I was used to working with < 20 files while at uni, now we have thousands. Plus the pay is great!

Is it a year long placement you're doing? I'm looking to do a summer one but if the opportunity to do a year long came about I wouldn't say no

Don't know if its changed but most placements are the 3rd year of uni (unless you opt for summer jobs), this assumes you are doing 4 year sandwich degree.

Years 1 and 2 are to get the grades,
3rd year on placement starts immediately after 2nd year finishes and you just work until the 4th year starts.
Go back for 9 months to write thesis
Maybe rejoin the placement company.

[ally3601]

Du1point8 said:

Don't know if its changed but most placements are the 3rd year of uni (unless you opt for summer jobs), this assumes you are doing 4 year sandwich degree.

Years 1 and 2 are to get the grades,
3rd year on placement starts immediately after 2nd year finishes and you just work until the 4th year starts.
Go back for 9 months to write thesis
Maybe rejoin the placement company.

All 4 of my years are on campus, a lot of my lecturers have been talking about summer placements and that a lot companies take people who have just finished 2nd year on as well, but the majority is third years who do them