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Skill
Requirements
Mental
- Basic
-
Self-motivated.
- Attention
to detail.
- Ability
to learn technical concepts and tools quickly.
- Flexibility
to accommodate changing assignments, schedules
and computer environments.
- Ability
to work under pressure.
- Excellent
problem-solving skills.
- Ability
to stick with something until it works.
Mental
- Specialized
- Ability
to use programming languages and software
tools.
Social
-
Able to work on one's own.
-
Able to work effectively with others who
may want to do things differently.
Physical
-
Requires working in a seated position, looking
at a computer screen for prolonged periods.
Skill
Maintenance Requirement
High. This technology is changing rapidly,
and one must stay current to be effective.
It is very common to use new tools on each
new programming project. Remaining current
can be accomplished by reading industry publications
and books as they come out, attending conferences,
or taking short courses. Online, one can maintain
their skills by subscribing to relevant news
groups and web newsletters, or by taking training
online.
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Experience
Prerequisites
Even
in good economic times most Computer Programmer
jobs were available only to those with prior
experience as a Computer Programmer or a technical
degree. Today the competition is fierce and
it is probably not possible to find a job
as a Programmer unless one has prior experience.
A good plan would be to find a job as a QA
Engineer or Software Tester today, and try
to move into a programming job in that company,
or in another company when the economy improves.
Competence
is required in a relevant programming language
(such as C, C++, COBOL, Prolog, and Pascal),
operating system (such as Windows 98 or XP,
Windows NT or 2000, and Unix), and sometimes
database (such as MS Access, SQL, Sybase,
Ingres, and Oracle).
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Education/Training
Required
Usually
a BS in Computer Science or a Bachelor's degree
in another field along with a Certificate
or AA degree in programming is required. A
Certificate or AA Degree in programming is
an acceptable substitute when there are not
enough people to fill the available jobs,
as was the case in the late 1990's. But with
the current economic situation experience
or a degree is a must.
To
obtain a complete list of training providers
for Computer Programmers in California, refer
to the California Training & Education
Providers (CTEP) database:
-
Go to http://www.soicc.ca.gov/ctep.
-
Select "Occupation Title."
-
Select "Sort by DOT."
-
Select "Professional, Technical and
Managerial Occupations."
-
Select "Computer Related."
-
Select "Computer Programmer."
The
above website will provide a list of the relevant
training providers, along with their addresses
and telephone numbers, but no detailed information
on the training provided..
The
next section in this report ("Bay Area
Education/Training Resources") provides
detailed information on some of the training
programs available for Computer Programmers.
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