Anyone on here have a degree in Computer Science?

Hey guys right now I am going to school pursuing a degree in Computer Science but lately a lot of people have been telling me I should reconsider because of outsourcing. I wanted to get some insight from people who actually have a degree in computer science before I make a decision on changing my major. I thought I would ask on here cause i figured there would be a few people on here that might be able to give me some advice. Thanks!

 

I have degrees in mathematics and economics (BA) and Mechanical Engineering (BS). So not your target audience, but I still regret not studying computer science instead of economics. I would definitely stick with it. One thing that can never be outsourced is American innovation. Become a software inventor rather than a support tech for Dell computers. Develop the skills to utilize computers in new ways. One of the projects on my Tacoma list is to replace my Pioneer AVIC-Z140BH with an iPad. I want to write the apps that will give me all of the functionality of my old system (iPod, radio, navigation) and more (topographic maps, digital readout of ECU sensors, Netflix, etc.)

Just my 2 cents.

 

Thanks a lot Hunter! It's really nice to hear someone say something positive about sticking with computer science. You are right about not being able to outsource innovation. Your idea about replacing your head unit with an ipad is exactly what I want to do with my iPad mini. It can do a lot more than a majority of the double din head units that are currently available.

 

Absolutely; always glad to help Hopefully more people will chime in so you don't just have to take my word for it.

I hope you get to do that project soon - maybe turn it into a class assignment or senior project. I'd be curious to see the software you could develop for it. You are absolutely correct in stating that the iPad mini could do so much more that all of the head units I've ever encountered. My unit was north of $1,200 + install. For that much money, I could have gotten so much more if I would have had the knowledge and taken the time to innovate....

I won't make that mistake twice. I'm going to design my own front bumper and bedrack / shell because I'm a mechanical engineer and that's what we do!

 

...if job placement post-graduation for the field is good, and you like the subject matter, then it should be fine... i tend to think that science/math/engineering/computers/tech ...should all be quite promising in the current and future...

 

Thanks Wiley! I hope job placement continues to be good in the field. A lot of my family was trying to talk me into going into nursing but I don't think I would enjoy it. I know there is definitely tons of jobs for nurses out there.

 

....being that we spend so much of our time working, it's always good if one can spend it doing what one enjoys...

 

Get your Computer Science degree then move to India or the Phillipines. You are sure to land a job as a technical help line specialist.

 

Haha that's definitely not an option. Anyone else have anymore insight on this topic?

 

I have a computer science engineering degree and have been in the world of internet retail, data and technology for over 15 years.
The landscape is very different today than when I first got into it. I was one of seven graduating CSE majors at the time and the major had a 100% placement rate at the time. The internet bubble was just starting when I got my first job at a software company as a data analyst. The bubble had just popped when I got my next job at an up and coming ecommerce startup. Loved the experience of being a part of helping that company grow, doing over a billion dollars in sales the year I finally moved on to other opportunities.
With that said, yes, outsourcing is quite common these days; I've worked with varying levels of involvement with offshore resources throughout my career. It can be a great way to cheaply augment staff, but there are challenges in making it successful. Also, offshore is frequently used for development grunt work, with higher level technical oversight happening onshore.
I think if you have a genuine interest in computer science, do it. Offshore competition shouldn't be something to dissuade you as most companies value and want to develop good internal talent. You will have more opportunities to move up the ranks.
Also, keep in mind that there is a large breadth of disciplines and careers within IT, having a strong understanding of the fundamentals of computer science will help you to succeed in whatever direction you choose to take yourself.

 

I have a bachelor's degree in computer science. I am a software engineer for Acxiom corporation. I think there are plenty of opportunities in the field. Acxiom is almost always hiring engineers, as well as our competitors. And there are always the bigger companies like Google. There's a lot of different things you can do with a computer science degree. I would say the people telling you that don't know what they are talking about.

 

I just got back in touch with an old friend that lost her job due to outsourcing. I think she referred to them as "Rag Head SOBs" LOL

There are many things you can do with a degree computer science. It really depends on what you want to do with your degree. Don't expect to get a top paying job right away though. There is plenty of competition out there, not just in your field, but all fields. It might take a while before you find that perfect job too.

Ask yourself these questions:

What kind of job do I want to have?
What do I like to do?
What will make me happy while making me money?

For me, being happy in your profession is the most important. Money is nice too. It pays the bills and things like that, but a high paying boring or overly stressful job that you hate going to everyday would really suck.