Best options for programming certificates or courses?

[mooeypoo]

Hi guys,

 

So, I graduated with a physics degree and research honors. In my research I was heavily involved with modelling, particularly with mathematica and matlab. I am also a relatively proficient php/mysql programmer and I have a good grasp in jQuery, AJAX and developing CMS extensions.

 

I have a few small projects under my belt, most are small jquery and relatively small CMS extensions. I program for fun, and I have been doing that since around 6th grade. I'm starting out in Perl now, and its a pretty smooth ride so far. I also took a C++ course in college (waste of time though.. very veeeery basic)

 

Problem? I have no official programming education. I want to try and get a job with some programming in it, since I do know it well, but I'm not sure I can get anywhere without some sort of proof of knowledge. Also, my experience is halfassed. I program alone to get a resul, so I am less familiar with the core workings, security standards or standards in general, other than what I am reading as I go along.

 

Now that i've graduated, I have time to take extra courses, or study for a certificate. I was thinking about the Zend PHP5 one, but from my research, many claim its useless.

 

Should I go for a particular certificate? What should I have in my resume to get the attention of programming oriented companies? My physics degree is a strong proof for math, algorithms and modelling, does it help?

 

Thanks

 

~mooey

[Xittenn]

Something like NVIDIA Certified CUDA Programmer would be a great asset, and I would keep an eye open for an OpenCL equivalent.

 

Your web based programming knowledge will probably not help you any with prospective employers. COM and CORBA are still the industry standard in terms of used API's for Scientific Computing, unless of course the API is an in-house pure C, C++, Fortran concoction. Learn the three languages, and also the packages most commonly used with each, like C++ & Boost.

 

Honestly, the time required of you would suggest to me that maybe you should transfer your credits and get a second degree in Computer Sciences or Software Engineering.

 

Ask MOLD if you can, not only is he dreamy, but he is probably the most knowledgeable about these things.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

COM and CORBA are still the industry standard in terms of used API's for Scientific Computing, unless of course the API is an in-house pure C, C++, Fortran concoction. Learn the three languages, and also the packages most commonly used with each, like C++ & Boost.

What do COM and CORBA have to do with scientific computing? COM is a Windows system, and most scientific computing runs on Linux; and CORBA doesn't seem related to scientific computing at all.

 

C and C++ are definitely essential for scientific computing, though. Experience with various linear algebra and numerical analysis libraries would be useful.

 

Should I go for a particular certificate? What should I have in my resume to get the attention of programming oriented companies? My physics degree is a strong proof for math, algorithms and modelling, does it help?

Your best bet is experience, not certificates. Learn to program however you want -- books, videos, online tutorials, whatever -- and then program some stuff. Put it on GitHub, a personal website, or any other place you can find. Contribute some patches to open-source projects you find interesting.

 

A smart method might be to pick something you want to learn about (say, using numerical solutions to differential equations in simulations), find a resource for learning it (book, website), and then pick a small project to work on. As you learn about the subject, implement it in your project.

 

If I were reviewing applicants for a job, I'd want resumes that say "I built X", not "I took course X". Most of the "tips for aspiring programmers" stuff I've read agrees. (The exception is large companies with giant HR departments that just look for lists of qualifications, since they don't know anything about programming.)

[Ben Banana]

C and C++ are definitely essential for scientific computing, though. Experience with various linear algebra and numerical analysis libraries would be useful.

 

Any AOT-compiled language should be as good as, if not better than C and C++. But because they're both so popular and mature, everything except for the languages themselves is unbeatable: their compilers & utility, a countless number of libraries and SDKs, as well as the fact that all popular operating systems have a significant portion written in C.

 

I think you should look at this:

http://crypto.stanford.edu/~blynn/c/index.html

Edited December 22, 2011 by Ben Bowen

[Xittenn]

What do COM and CORBA have to do with scientific computing? COM is a Windows system, and most scientific computing runs on Linux; and CORBA doesn't seem related to scientific computing at all.

 

COM and CORBA are used for remoting and in defining interfaces. Most of COM's other functions is replaced by various BOOST libraries on Linux systems. We have had this discussion before, and I think if you ever tried to program a complete software solution, that you would come to realize their importance. Obviously there are a number of alternative solutions, but these two still hold with a good number of programmers, especially when working with C++. I probably should have placed more emphasis on the BOOST Libraries. An example of where CORBA is used . . . . Salome Platform.

 

Also look into parallel programing API's, OpenMP, OpenMPI, the long list of Intel tools and so on . . . . .

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Any AOT-compiled language should be as good as, if not better than C and C++. But because they're both so popular and mature, everything except for the languages themselves is unbeatable: their compilers & utility, a countless number of libraries and SDKs, as well as the fact that all popular operating systems have a significant portion written in C.

 

I think you should look at this:

http://crypto.stanford.edu/~blynn/c/index.html

True. And in science, you often have to deal with mountains of pre-existing code written in C.

 

Perhaps mooey could specify what sort of programming -- web programming, scientific computing, client apps, whatever -- she's interested in. The OP mentions modelling but doesn't go into much detail. The mention of Perl and PHP5 doesn't really go with scientific computing...

[Daedalus]

If you really want to make use of your physics degree and do some programming, then you might consider a career path in gaming or with military contractors such as Boeing. I worked in the casino gaming industry and developed the graphic engines, accounting systems, and probability calculators used by Envision Gaming and Casino Systems Inc. I made really good money working in the casino gaming industry and the fringe benefits include going to parties in Las Vegas and hanging out with some pretty cool people. One year I actually got to meet Drew Carey and Pamela Anderson. I got their autographs on my G2E badge:

 

 

Graphics engines are primarily programmed in C++, but C# is also being used. The C# engines mainly use XNA which wraps up DirectX into an easy to use API, but you can also create your own COM components in C++ to wrap up DirectX or OpenGL to be used in any .Net language. I personally use cross-platform SDKs such as SDL or Ogre for graphics and OpenAL for audio. As for military applications, C++ is still the way to go but it will also be very advantageous to learn ADA because most military contractors still use it.

 

Most companies require a bachelor degree in computer science or engineering for this type of work. If you don't mind being Windows based, you can always go for a certification from Microsoft. The following link provides information on which certifications you can get:

 

http://www.microsoft...technology.aspx

 

Expand the tab for Microsoft Visual Studio to see certifications in programming. Certfication for Windows Embedded is also a good one to have because there are a lot of kiosks and devices which use it.

Edited December 22, 2011 by Daedalus

[Xittenn]

In regards to digital media, digital pyrotechnics is always exciting. I think individuals who get involved often start as Firemen, which requires a degree, at least where I am.

 

The working environment involves more animation studio as opposed to software programming. It still requires tool development programming, but works with scripting languages. As an effects engineer you would be required to be pretty thorough with your applied mathematics.

 

I do recall a prior thread where I had linked a graduate program that could be customized to meet goals of these sorts.

Edited December 22, 2011 by Xittenn

[donnawhite]

Rather than taking certifications, why don't you pursue a computer programming degree from an accredited college? Often, people with a lot of knowledge and a deep level of proficiency like you get passed over for jobs in favor of a college degree holder with a fraction of the experience. If you supplement your extant knowledge with the instruction provided by professors, and the credentials a college degree will give you, you'll be eligible for better employment in a wider range of avenues.