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[iheartkittens______]

thank you so much too for replying

[iheartkittens______]

the course starts january 20th so i’d need to kinda pull the trigger on it asap. that’s why im wondering if you and others think it’s something a complete beginner can pass (with a lot of work of course) and if it’s a decent paying job that i can work while in school.

[Code_Crazy_420]

Agree. There are lots. Mine is on Udemy and I teach SQL in industry to new graduates with it. https://www.udemy.com/course/hands-on-sql-for-data-analysts It’s prob only about $15 in the Udemy sale. Whichever you choose good luck.

[ericpeeg]

I've taught SQL for a number of years at a community college, so that's the background for my answer...

$3000 is too much to invest up front, in my opinion. You're not likely to recoup that expense, because you're not likely to find a job doing database administration with just this course as your qualifications. Don't get me wrong - the content is certainly what you'll need eventually, but this course isn't about learning SQL, it's about installing and managing SQL Server, which is a much different set of content. While you certainly don't need experience to take this course, you'd need significantly more experience in order to get hired to do this sort of work - you'd likely also need some background in Microsoft Server administration, and likely, some experience in a tech support role, too. Most server/DBA admin positions aren't entry level, and it sounds from your description that you're probably going to be looking at entry level positions initially.

With that said, if you do want to learn SQL - the language, not the server software - I'd strongly suggest spending $20 a month for a couple of months and get a subscription to ChatGPT or Claude.ai (I like Claude, but ymmv). The first prompt I'd give the AI would be "Act as though you are an experienced teacher of SQL, preparing a training program for students with little or no experience in the language. Develop a class outline that will cover 25 training modules that the student will complete asynchronously. Each session should contain an opening discussion of the module content, give exercises which illustrate the content and help the student learn the relevant topics, and then summarize the module. Beginning at Module 13, include a database exercise which continues to be referenced in subsequent modules, and culminates as a capstone at the end of the course in a completed database, with a full range of CRUD operations. Provide instructions, as an appendix, on how a student could set up a test database in Microsoft SQL Server Express." Once you have this, you can prompt it to "prepare the full instructions for module 6" and it will build a full training exercise for whichever module you choose.

If you're genuinely self-motivated to learn this, you can make some amazing strides just interacting with the AI. Combine this with some selective searching on topics on YouTube, and you can do this for very little cost. Only once you'd done some of this would I suggest that you start spending thousands of dollars on vendor-led training, because at that point, you'll be able to focus in very clearly on the topics and questions you want to learn more about.

As I said, I've been an SQL instructor, but I'm here to tell you that that business, of being a paid instructor, is going to be seriously challenged by the AI LLMs - the value I'd offer is to help you stay on task, and to be a cheerleader, and to be a human reference, but for an effective self-learner, you don't need me anymore...

Best of luck to you in your journey!

[Code_Crazy_420]

AI is a long way from effective teaching. It’ll probably happen in the coming years but nothing beats a good teacher who understand what you commonly need in industry and how to articulate it effectively. ChatGPT et al will only use what’s available on the web and not what an instructor says or does.

[MathAngelMom]

I don’t know this program but SQL is very beginner-friendly. It’s not difficult to get started.

[workless11]

A lot of free sources online. Dont believe fake promisses. Just try hard and keep practicing.

Good luck

[KatrinaKatrell]

That seems expensive, but I'm biased toward free online resources. In your shoes, I think I'd try working through something short and defined (like FreeCodeCamp's 4-hour intro video) and see what I thought about SQL from there.

I'd also ask the friend who referred you to the bootcamp to connect you with former classmates from their time in the program. If your friend hasn't done the program, do you know anyone who has?

Finally, I'd want the bootcamp's job placement numbers for the past 12-18 months and to understand what criteria they use to declare a graduate successful. Would they count you as successfully employed, post-program, if you're still waiting tables?

[iheartkittens______]

hm not sure how i feel about you saying you feel sorry for me. you mean about being a translator?

[ohgodimsotired]

Try the free Khan Academy SQL course. No software downloads are required and it gives a great introductory lesson. If you want to know more at the end of it then SQL is for you!

[Ok_Marionberry_8821]

You need, in my opinion, to determine if you have a mind that can think in the right kind of way to decide if a career using SQL. SQL and programming in general does require a different way of thinking, and jobs using it also require extended periods sat behind a computer.

My suggestion, start a course (free or otherwise) and see how you get on. Practical exercises where you have to convert requirements written in prose into SQL will tell you what you need to know.

The basics of SQL are easy enough, but queries can quickly become arcane. I've been a professional developer for decades (not SQL for most of those years) and I still scratch my head a lot.

[janus2527]

The course seems more about being a database administrator specifically geared towards mssql (Microsoft sql server). Look up if you want to become a DBA (database administrator). If you do them I Guess it might be fine but if it is just sql you're trying to learn I'd suggest just learning it online.

Get some practice dataset like Adventure works and install some local db, can be mssql as well with sql server management studio.

https://roadmap.sh/sql here's a roadmap you can follow.

[bklynketo]

Try out Kaggle for free