NEWBIES, Please introduce yourself here!

McGyver

single in the mingle
Hi all! I am mum to an amazing 17 year old who cannot find his place in the world. I am looking for someone who can help! He is a computer genius with no qualifications. He cannot get on higher courses at College because he doesn't have 'C' in Maths and English, apprenticeships are looking for qualifications and work experience is hard to come by. He is teaching himself Coding but could do with a personal tutor.... Is there anyone out there who could help? Like many young people, he just needs that break...

Good morning,

Welcome to the forum. I do not have a business to employ the kid, so all I can do is offer a piece of advice.
He could well consider a career as a developer by mastering C# and SQL databases. Not sure whether he is
thinking along these lines. At some point he will have to seriously focus and get at least a degree to be employable.

Good luck!
 
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Thank you for your reply.... it is as I thought. Qualifications get you through the door. God knows what he is going to do.
--
Hi,
Ryan (the person she's speaking about), apologies that she's using the forum wrong, and posting in introductions.
I feel she missed a bit out.
I'm currently learning C#, but haven't done anything on SQL, but I've hit wall and can't get around it, hence why I need the help.
I really don't want to go back to college, (I'm 17) or anything of the sorts.
I just need someone to tutor me though C# until I fully understand it, or I've go to the point I can figure problems out myself.
I understand that everyone wants me to go back and get qualifications, I just don't want too. I've had it with the Education system. I don't care about the qualifications, I just need to learn how to program, once I've achieved that, I'll move on to getting a job in programming. Yes, it'll be harder as I won't have any major qualifications, but if I make a bunch of stuff, then show the company, wouldn't that work?
Note, in all of my college/high-school IT classes I got C's/Passes or higher.
It's only my Maths and English that I've got D's.
I've probably missed something out, I'll edit the post if I think of anything.
I think this should be moved to a whole new thread entirely.
Thanks,
Ryan.
 
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Mixedmedia

www.mixedmedia.me.uk
Greetings Stafford Forum from Stuart Kean of Mixedmedia. Just to let you know I will posting details of training workshops run by mixedmedia @Gainsborough [art]works in Stafford.

Current introductory workshops by mixedmedia
http://www.mixedmedia.me.uk/?p=945

I.T. [S.O.S] £8 for 2 hour session and
Digital [Arts] & Design £8 for 2 hour session
 

McGyver

single in the mingle
I understand that everyone wants me to go back and get qualifications.

Hi Ryan,

I agree with you that what matters is maturity to solve a problem through computer code. Somebody with a degree sends the capability of working consistently for three years. If you have decided against it, then you are on your own to learn.
Either from books, that are expensive and get obsolete soon, by googling or from specialized internet forums.

The best suggestion I can give you is to become a freelance programmer.
You will benefit from getting in touch with many companies that will know you and you will be working on projects of different nature that will constantly challenge your knowledge. Also you could think of developing apps for mobiles?

Best of Luck,
Mac
 

darben

Well-Known Forumite
Hi Ryan,

I agree with you that what matters is maturity to solve a problem through computer code. Somebody with a degree sends the capability of working consistently for three years. If you have decided against it, then you are on your own to learn.
Either from books, that are expensive and get obsolete soon, by googling or from specialized internet forums.

The best suggestion I can give you is to become a freelance programmer.
You will benefit from getting in touch with many companies that will know you and you will be working on projects of different nature that will constantly challenge your knowledge. Also you could think of developing apps for mobiles?

Best of Luck,
Mac
Hi Ryan, McGyver has some excellent points, being a self employed programmer or contractor will possibly be your main option at the moment. Unfortunately, most employers will make an instant judgment about you, most likely along the lines of that you may be good at what you like doing but opt out when it comes to the boring bits. Sadly, all jobs (even the best ones) have bits we don't like doing. Your obviously capable & it may be wise to get the maths/English qualifications under your belt somehow or other.
Going back and trying again, say evening classes can really go in your favour, most people have struggled at some point so perseverance in itself can speak volumes about you.
Granted, education isn't for everyone but the qualifications are means to an end and proof you have capability at a basic level.
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
Hi Ryan, McGyver has some excellent points, being a self employed programmer or contractor will possibly be your main option at the moment. Unfortunately, most employers will make an instant judgment about you, most likely along the lines of that you may be good at what you like doing but opt out when it comes to the boring bits. Sadly, all jobs (even the best ones) have bits we don't like doing. Your obviously capable & it may be wise to get the maths/English qualifications under your belt somehow or other.
Going back and trying again, say evening classes can really go in your favour, most people have struggled at some point so perseverance in itself can speak volumes about you.
Granted, education isn't for everyone but the qualifications are means to an end and proof you have capability at a basic level.
Just to add my twopenneth.....there's also the Open University if classrooms are an issue... & don't ever think its too late to go back into education - I waited till I was 28 to go to Uni :) Good luck @CharlieRosie10 & son.
 

darben

Well-Known Forumite
I use this quote on myself a lot :

Terry Pratchett said:
If you trust in yourself. . .and believe in your dreams. . .and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.

It's so true, unless you've got family with connections ( sometimes life is just unfair that way).
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
@CharlieRosie10 (Ryan)

Hi Ryan - here's another thought - if education really isn't for you, & you are kinda stuck at the moment then just try to find as much information on the kind of programming that you're interested in as possible - books (do they still do those ....for dummies books?) the internet, join as many forums where people have the same interest as you as possible, make as many programmes for as many different things as you can (I'm totally put of touch now - I did Pascal, C++ & Java!), above all try to talk to people both face to face & on forums on the internet as much as you can - I firmly believe that sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time - the more people you communicate with & can show just what you can do the better...above all, don't give up, keep going & persevere - qualifications aren't everything & with enough determination and by studying so that you know everything about what you are interested in you will eventually get a break....Good luck :)
 

Jollygirl01

Jollygirl
I thought I would start a thread for new users to come and say "Hello," in, so here it is. :)

If you have just signed-up, please reply in this thread and let us know a bit about yourself!

Have fun. :stafford:
Hi, Jollygirl here, I'm a newbie to the site, I'm 57, a divorcee, lived in Stafford most of my life, I think it's a lovely town, Like all towns it has it's good and bad points but on the whole I think we are very lucky to have such a pretty place to live.
 

AlecB

A few posts under my belt
Hi everyone.

I've lived in Stafford on and off for about 8 years now, worked in Stafford for only a tiny bit of that, mostly down in Dudley/ Birmingham area.

Been hard at times keeping friends in the Stafford area with working away (and socialising nearer work), so hoping to have some fun times and learn more about what our town has to offer!

I like dancing and see there's a salsa class on a Thursday I think, so I might check that out.

Might meet the woman of my dreams, who knows! (single atm sadly).
 
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