What Should I Study: Computer Engineering or I.T. for a Career in Technology?

[Midnight94]

Hello :)

I Just gaduated High School and in a few days I have to decide what to study.I love computers and technology.And my dream is to work in Apple Someday.
What do you think Should i study.I want to make stuff like iphone and even more advanced things. and what is the diffance between them?

Thank you

 

[JakeBrodskyPE]

First, do you tinker with computers at home? If so, what do you do? Do you mess with the Arduino board? Do you write programs of some sort? Have you read any books on the subject?

Second, how well did you do with math and logic? Does the Fizz-Buzz program look stupidly easy to you? Have you had any summer jobs that might relate to your field of study?

Third, the competition is fierce. How hard are you willing to work at this? Are you enamored with Apple the company? The products? Or does the notion of building something insanely cool for mass appeal have some attraction to you? (Hint: read some of the not-so-kind stuff about Steve Jobs, he wasn't all sweetness and light)

I don't want to burst your bubble. This stuff is really cool and fun to work with, but it can also be very intense. Is that the kind of career you want to be involved in?

 

[Midnight94]

Well I do tinker computers :P and in school we had a computer subject but its sooo stupid and like nothing to deal with progamming, I read a lot about it and how you should be good at math and I am pretty good at it and good at memorising things, logic off course is somthing i can deal with pefectly, I never did programme anything because i never had the chance or even an expert's help, that's why I'm depending on college because i know I am going to get better education about this field. and what's life whithout compteiton :P I'm going to do what i got to do when i get in this career

 

[JakeBrodskyPE]

Allow me to make some significant, but dated, points: In Sixth grade I was writing simple BASIC and FORTRAN programs. I earned my ham radio license and built a station. My summer jobs (this was over 30 years ago) were things like fixing two way radios in cabs and garbage trucks. In tenth grade, I was programming in assembly language on mainframe computers. In my junior year of high school I was building digital logic circuits, programming in Z-80 and PDP-11 assembly language, writing graphics software for Tektronix 4000 series graphics terminals, and in college I was fooling around with systems programming and early versions of Unix on an 80286 in my spare time. I also worked on early amateur packet radio networking gear in the early 1980s.

In other words, I was already primed and engaged in the field. My education was merely a theoretical backdrop to what I was already doing. I practically knew most of the courses long before I saw them in class. That's not to say I didn't learn anything in school; but the vast majority of it was routine bureaucratic nonsense to prove that I knew what I already had hands-on experience doing.

So, how ready are you for this kind of competition? It is experience like that that you are going to compete with. Don't just tell me that you might like a career at Apple. Prove to me that you're so damned good that Apple will actively recruit YOU. That's who your competition is.

 

[Midnight94]

I know but I live in kuwait, and well to be honest my parents won't let me have a summer job even if I wanted and we don't have appourtonties like that in here, I really want to go in this career and I am willing to work hard I just need some help and advie, I have a whole summer and I wish you can give me a few basics to start with , like show me the path to walk on. I know I'm a late but I got to start somewhere right?

 

[JakeBrodskyPE]

If you can't work, get involved in hobbies that will translate into something useful later. For example, the Arduino micro-controller projects are inexpensive and you can build lots of stuff with them. Some people use several controllers and build functional robots.

Alternatively, take a look at the Raspberry Pi project. Study Linux system internals. They're free for the cost of a download. Perhaps you can build your own distro.

If you don't want to spend money, your computer probably has enough capacity to at least build some software packages or the like. Learn how to use those tools.

If you are REALLY bereft of anything that you can mess with, study Java scripting. The web browser you use for communicating is also a good learning platform.

Show some initiative. Study something technical. Learn how to wrap your mind around it and make it do things that nobody ever expected.

Meanwhile, get a jump on physics and mathematics. I knew lots of calculus before I ever went to college. I played with calculators for fun. You can too. There are books available on lots of subjects, from astronomy to quantum physics. All of them are applicable in some way.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but careers like this don't just happen. You have to make them happen. Get busy...

 

[Midnight94]

Thanks a lot, you really helped.
And one last question, which one do you think will have a better career?
Computer engneering or I.T.

Thnaks again!

 

[JakeBrodskyPE]

I'm partial toward engineering, but do note that I'm an engineer.

Honestly, I couldn't tell you what is better. I've been doing this stuff for decades and I have never had any shortage of work and I live a comfortable, though not extravagant life.

That said, if I had a crystal ball that was good enough to tell you what will work for you ten, twenty, or even thirty years down the road, I'd be very, very wealthy by now.

Pick something you like and enjoy. And don't forget to keep some interests on the side for yourself. All work and no play makes a dull person.

 

[Midnight94]

Thank You very much Jake,this information helped me a lot and I'm going to start my career soon hopefully, I'm going to work hard and make something in my life worth remembring.