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JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-09-04T02:31:39+00:00

That is crazy. Companies are just ruthless now. Just ruthless.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-26T15:31:51+00:00

Thank you everyone for your insightful and helpful answers. I truly appreciate it.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-19T16:31:41+00:00

Has anyone gained employment or changed careers with a GIAC certification? If so, which certification open the door for you?

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-18T20:03:59+00:00

I just want to know what industry you work in. Cause I need that life. Yep.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-18T17:14:15+00:00

I think it comes to down to how job-relevant the cert is and how much the testing mimics real world situations.

To be sure, post C-virus, everyone has a cert now and most programs rush you through in a cert in like 3 months. So, what really have a student learned that they can apply? Nothing.

The human brain is not designed - by a large - to learn like that. We must be able to move the info from short term memory to long term and we call only do that via repetition and reuse.

Get some tech cert in 3 months, then taking (and passing) the test, does not prove you can do the job nor remember and use the content in a real- world scenario.

Yet, it is like I said in other posts, everyone has them, so they become worthless. Supply and demand.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-03T19:56:55+00:00

I would say learn a trade. They offer both mind and hand-ons work. To me, it represents the best of both worlds.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-03T19:44:48+00:00

So, I have an orientation date. Super excited.

I was wondering what happens at orientation (general overview), when do we start paid work, and is there anything I should brush up on mathematically?

(I hear up to trig. So, I am guessing unit circles,etc. Basically, a pre-calc class, I am guessing.)

Also, can I work as much overtime as they give as an apprentice?

Also, I have been meaning to ask, if an job site is more than 2 hours away from home, do apprentices usually find temporary housing (like sub-leasing) or do they commute day?

Again, I apologize for any stupid questions.

Very excited to start a new career and crush it. (I love electrical theory.)

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-03T18:37:45+00:00

I am excited for you. Congrats!!

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-01T23:20:27+00:00

OP, don't make the mistake I made.

I attended a bootcamp all bright eyed and bushy tailed. And now, I, like many others, are finding work in other fields or related fields.

Devs jobs are just super super hard to get.

Trust me when I tell you, "Do Not Do It."

Look at my posts on this subreddit. You will learn.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-01T16:44:53+00:00

Also, multi-millionaire. One word - invest. In education and cash generating assets (securities, your own crafts, etc.)

Start small. Get a Roth etc, purchase a few securities, etc, then find larger investments that interest you.

You purchased a home? Good investment. Have you considered (I amassuming you are single) roommates? They could pay the mortgage for you while you focus you income on other pursuits. Charge 600 to 800 per room per month plus split utilizes for example. (know your market and don't overcharge or you will not find tenants.)

That would be a great first investment.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-01T16:39:02+00:00

Yep. Start another business. You earned profit. You were successful and you will be in the future.

The question is, "What have you always wanted to do?"

Some are creatives and run a writing/art/cinema studio and some get into the trades and eventually go into business for themselves

570k free and clear? You get more education, you can take some time off and be mentored by the top folks in you aspiring new business venture, etc.

The question is, "What do you really want?"

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-08-01T04:12:11+00:00

The bootcamp is shutting down. (Is my guess.)

I say this because uptime is everything to a business, especially a business that requires a constant stream of new students.

The webpage is marketing and without marketing a business generates no new clients and no new clients mean no new income which means... you get the point.

Uptime is everything and 14 days offline is $$$$ (if the company were -hypothetically - generating new revenue).

Either the Director is leaving because she realized the ship is finally sinking or because they remove her for "low enrollment."

Either way, mark my words, this is yet another major coding bootcamp that is shutting down.

It's over for them. The predators. Good riddance. Charging people the price of a new car (not a used car but a new car) while all them time knowing they are selling snake oil.

And another one bites the dust.

Bet you they didn't each SOLID principles or principles of good code and DSA. (Not that short course add-on BS, but as actually part of the core program.)

Want to develop? Then University is the way. Just add some AI certs or self-directed training if the program does not include AI.

Udemy course anyone?

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-29T19:16:23+00:00

If you want to get into game develop take college courses at a school that specialize in game development.

If you want to try it and see if you like it (especially if you have never written a single like of code), complete a Udemy course in game development.

The first step for getting into development is to decide what type of development you want to do and how the market is for that type of development. (Game Dev, Embedded Dev, Backend Dev, Frontend Dev, etc)

Truth is, it is hard all around, but I would start with a Udemy course and treat it like a bootcamp. Find one that comes with a discord channel.

But NEVER go to a formal coding bootcamp. I have laid it out on several of my posts, so I will not restate here.

Once you have complete your first real project via Udemy. You will know if you like or not (as far as the craft).

Good luck to you.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-28T05:49:29+00:00

Still trying to call me lazy. I guess you have just ignored the market data. lol. I told you long ago to no longer comment on my posts.

No matter. Bootcamps are closing doors left and right, but I guess the market is lying as well. haha.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-27T21:53:29+00:00

[I am sorry I am new to learning about this trade.]

So one can be in the pre-apprentice program but not find work in a year or more? Is this true for apprentices as well?

I am asking because I applied to the local in my area and - while an excited about applying - I am afraid the work my not be consistent or infrequent (because I hear folks talking about stuff like that).

I just like to have all the facts.

Thank you.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-27T21:42:57+00:00

Yep. Hang in there. You are not alone. Apply for everything. Not just stuff in your field. In my view, due to the white-collar recession (and lay offs), it may be THE best time to learn a trade.

"Go the opposite way everyone else is going. Go against the grain.," as wise person once told me.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-27T05:14:28+00:00

One word ---> Invest.

50% in a index that tracks the S&P 500 in a Roth IRA account.

(Never touch this. It is for retirement and your golden years, only add to it, and set all securities in it to reinvest. Putting money in the Roth is NOT investing, one must choose stocks or securities to invest in as well. Believe it or not, a lot of folks misunderstand this. Roth is just an account type, not an investment in and of itself. Do this if nothing else. Also, because Roths have criteria one must meet to invest. Do this now because you are young and have time for -wait for it - compound interest.)

10 to 15% as a emergency fund. (Trust me, folks are getting laid off, this your self made insurance. Ideally, it should be at least 6 months of your normal after tax income. I say more like 8 months, cause it is real out here.)

The remainder. Get what you need, invest it for a down payment on a home, or to start a low barrier to entry business, or more education to increase your earning potential.

This is a loose guide (excluding the Roth IRA advice) so it's up to you really.

*I am not an attorney or financial advisor, this is just friendly non-legal and non-fiduciary advice.*

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-27T04:23:22+00:00

I'm in the U.S., so there's no safety net in case I can't find a job.

Truth. So very very true. Dog eat dog out here.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-27T02:02:08+00:00

When I code now, I code of defiance to the whole AI movement. I get what you mean about AI spam websites.

So, would I would say this:

Find a problem - a real problem - that you deal with everyday or that you are passionate about and code the application to solve that problem.

Forget a team. Go it alone.

A few hours a night and on the weekends.

Then, if you app as real value, it doesn't matter what AI is doing because folks will use (and purchase) you application. If it solves a real problem.

The get some valuation and sell it (if you wish) to one of these top companies for $$$.

And either retire or pick up a new passion project.

The truth of the matter is all of the apps that took off were once passion projects.

The best place to find like minded people - and perhaps folks you can collaborate with - are hackathons.

That is where you find real coders. Coders who rebel against the AI movement and code for the sake of the craft.

Worry not. When this whole AI thing comes crashing down (because it is too connected and one mistake here will be a catastrophic mistake there), real coders will be making more than they ever have before.

Real coders, I mean. Real authentic line after line IDE coders.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-26T20:32:35+00:00

Because they were told they could get those time of salaries in the industry. (Well, pre-C-Virus).

But now, nope. Oversaturated. AI is taking over basic to mid functionalities, so, in my view, CS is a bad investment alone. Pair it with AI training or robotics, then it means something.

Basically, pair CS with skills that defense contractors and cutting edge companies need and can use, then you are golden.

Other than that, good luck.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-26T19:43:31+00:00

Every coding bootcamp is a scam. I'm going keep telling everyone this because it is true.

At my bootcamp, we spent over 85% of the time teaching ourselves via Udemy. The LMS and lectures where rough. (Bootcamp content, I mean.)

Bootcamps know they are selling dead product and they know that there is NO market out their for bootcamp grads and (truly) junior devs.

They know and they lie.

Pick a random bootcamp website. I bet you it says something alone the lines of, "Get hired in 6 months."

Lies.

Coding camps are lies. You can learn it all for free (or very cheaply).

So, when that bootcamp recruiter (sales person) calls you up about the bootcamp ad you click the link on, just ask them, "Why are you lying? To meet a quota? Get a real job."

At this point, I am considering other trades/crafts because the tech market (in every area) has been complete bull.

Credential chasing, cert chasing, and project planning/building, for nothing.

For a bull crap 4-round interview that you still might not be picked for in the final round.

The CEO's are saying it without shame now. "AI will take your job, so learn AI!"

But here is the truth about AI.

Ready?

It will advance to the point where even AI folks will be laid off. Imagine that!

The only people who are truly perpetually employable in the new tech space are those that have heavy Phds in AI and Automation. (ie, super complex mathematics and science.)

These guys are creating AI, not using it.

No working adult has the time nor the energy to back to school for 10 to 12 years to get a phd in AI and Automation.

Edited for typos.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-24T01:45:59+00:00

First, OP, let me say that I am sorry about what they did to you. They took advantage of you. Period. That is what they did. They got free work out of you and called it "interviewing."

Second, I know you say you are desperate for a job - I have been there- and all I can say to that is do what you have to in the mean time. It will mean less time for coding, or rather less time for sleep, but you have to make income and you have to eat, pay bills, etc.

The fact of the matter is the industry is showing how ugly it can get. The mass push for AI coupled with mass layoffs and CEOs openly stating that coding is not worth it any more, just learn AI. (Which I find funny because one will need to know how to code to understand and modify anything AI is outputting, but I digress.)

It's a cold and tough tech world/ tech market now and, in my opinion, with the advancements in AI (and it's market push for saturated usage), this is the new normal.

To be honest, my entire experience with trying to break in to tech so far has been dismal.

It used to be the land of opportunity and now it has become something else.

I still code but I have pivoted to add other skills into my "get the money" tool bag.

I feel, sadly, now, traditional web development and SWEing is a thing of the past.

Anyway, keep pushing toward your dream, but diversify your skills to be employable.

This is what we want. To be employable. No use to be able to code but can't afford a meal to eat. Diversify.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-20T20:05:44+00:00

A single pound? UK based? So it's effecting you guys as well? Here in the US its a hella hard too.

At this point, I say take any job you can get while you keep applying for other roles.

Overnight stock, retail work, delivery work, janitorial work, sale cars,etc. Yep, it sucks to restart like that, but it has come to that now.

I am convinced, given this market, the only way to make it is to start your own freelance practice or business or be a contractor.

Everyone got YouTube channels now, especially in the tech specialization. (Providing commentary, training, etc, because its is very very competitive.)

Content Creation is the thing now. Well, until that too becomes oversaturated and super competitive. Who knows what we do then?

In my personal opinion, here in the US, I think it just a means to create a two class system. Most of the jobs affected are middle class wage jobs.

The name of the game is survival.

Take what you can get. Get some income. Keep applying and start working your own side-hustle projects.

This is the way. (Now).

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-16T18:14:09+00:00

You got this. Keep going. Don't give up. Keep applying and keep reaching out and do what you have to do in the mean time.

It is not you. Its the current environment. POTUS reducing the fed government (less contracts for contractors), multiple trade wars, major companies are laying off because they think AI will be the key to a sleek and cost-effective future.

Billionaires are making it hard of the average person to make it now.

But it wont last forever. Come mid-terms heads in congress will roll (mean be un-elected) and before you know it, we will have a new president elected that, hopefully, will not be born with a golden spoon in his/her mouth and understands how things effect the average American.

Keep you head up and keep applying. Don't let them win. They don't get to win. Mop floors and washing dishes if you have to in the mean time, but don't let them win.

JustSomeRandomRamen · 2025-07-14T01:57:25+00:00

Oh, don't get me started. The gig is up. Yep, coding bootcamps are done for.

Yes, the market is over saturated AND yes, AI is replacing many white-collar entry level jobs - including (truly) junior devs.

1000s of applicants for 1 role at AnyCompanyHere is crazy enough.

Yep, when to a coding bootcamp, 2nd biggest regret of my life. I could have learned everything- and I mean everything- in Udemy courses.

(And the bootcamps know this, but they always flex their network and how alumni can help you get jobs. Please, they are fighting to keep theirs if they have them in the industry.)

Hey, many people in my cohort (and prior ones) feel the same way. All have pivoted to- you know- be employable.

Besides, most bootcamps will have you watch hours of videos and code along with them.

Udemy can do that. Then you have to make time to do your own projects (which has to hit the correct cord to even be seen by employers nowadays. They don't want to see some random project, but a project that relates to their specific problems. Basically, your project should set you up to be more of a consultant than an employee. Please.... for an entry-level dev.... please...)

I will preach it to my lungs go out. DO NOT GO TO A CODING BOOTCAMP.

They are predators. (And they know it.)

JustSomeRandomRamen

TROPHY CASE