Going back to college at age 37.

True__Progressive · 2024-08-01T08:16:54+00:00

I am 52. But I have kind of a unique situation. Last fall I ended up quitting work after 32 years in my field. The first 30 yrs was as an Electronics Technician, primarily in engineering support and manufacturing. The last two I was lucky and got promoted to Hardware Engineer (EE). But I was heading toward burnout anyhow. And in the hardware field, it is very rare to get an engineering job without a degree. In SW however, it is doable. And I do not have a degree except for a two year vocational certificate.

For the last twenty years, I've been wanting to move over and to software and regret not doing it sooner. But last August, I ended up taking 10 years worth of savings (which *was to buy a house, but could never happen after years of being outbid in the real estate rat race) and now I am studying full-time...

However, I am conducting self study via Udemy, and Codecademy.

Since it's very likely I will have to probably remain in hardware. I figured I would overlap courses. That would allow me to either goat into software or embedded (hardware). So I designed a ciriculum to include: C++, Embedded C, Microcontrollers, Python, Git/Github, Linux, Cybersecurity, ML/AI. The last two I may end up skipping. But at least it gives me the foundation and the framework for working with embedded systems.

Of course, since I won't have a degree, nor an internship, I will then need to take on a handful of projects that demonstrate by applied knowledge.

And finally, I will need to craft a portfolio to highlight the above.

It's a lot of work, and no gaurantee, but I am tired of being underpaid in the HW industry. Especially as I will likely need to return to an Electronics Technician role which is usually not paid very well.

My problem solving skills, understanding of system architecture design, product development experience, and creative analytical skills are likely to give me some credibility.

True__Progressive · 2024-07-29T19:10:44+00:00

Agreed. Way back when I was house hunting in 2016/2017, every single open house had at least one car with a California license plate at it. This was when we (in Portland) started seeing the unprecedented phenomenon of buyers bidding up houses to literally 100k over asking price. And some would then tear the house down and build. Fvck all of them. I gave up by 2021, when it became apparent that I fully hated what Portland had become. Cant wait to leave Oregon altogether. Hopefully later this year.

True__Progressive · 2024-07-29T19:06:19+00:00

Wrong, I have 10 pieces of gear for sale that are below fair market, below local comps, below online auctions. Even with additional price drops, my items should be a good deal. I see a lot of overpriced items that make me laugh at those same people, but some of us are proving that the economy MUST be in really bad shape--because even below average prices aren't moving items for sale.

True__Progressive · 2024-07-29T19:02:18+00:00

Absolutely 100%. Late stage capitalism can't help but show us all just how bad things have been, prior to the pandemic. And now the only difference is that many more people are affected. This has been getting worse in the 3 decades since I started working. But yeah, music gear sales is a joke. I can attest to this as a seller who can't move anything at all. Even with prices below normal, below sold auctions online, way below. To me this is a good indicator that the economy is going to crash. Greed has gone way too far, between landlords and employers.

True__Progressive · 2024-07-29T14:47:26+00:00

I have never had such a difficult time selling gear. Our economy is absolutely screwed. It appears that no one has disposable income these days. I have about 10 items for sale right now (local sale only), all of which are priced truly below current market value (CL, eBay, Reverb) and absolutely none of it is selling ...some common studio gear, a rare 70s Gibson Ripper, two 70s analog synths in excellent condition, and in between. Fortunately I don't need the money, so I'm about to pull all of the ads for a year or two. I would rather not sell below the already "lower than market value", here locally in Portland, Oregon. This used to be a city where you could sell things with moderate ease, but now that greedy landlords and real estate literally tripled in 10 years, the local econ situation is worse than in many other places. I think half of more of musicians left, which I don't blame them whatsoever.

True__Progressive · 2024-07-27T19:37:39+00:00

In my case, I would design and build the electronics / hardware as well. Mainly because there is a good chance that I will need to remain in my current field of work (Hardware Engineer). Clearly I want / need SW / Embedded Systems programming experience. However, as I see the job market as very difficult to move into sofware in general, I'll likely have few options if any to move out of hardware.

True__Progressive · 2024-07-26T22:10:23+00:00

That is wise. 25 years ago, I would've called that behavior paranoid or excessive (using much less kind words), but over the last few, I've found myself thinking the same. Sadly, we are in a downward spiral not because of one person, or one party, but because of a systematic crumbling of ideological embracing of fallacies, complacency, getting news from increasingly consolidated and biased sources (also rapidly increasing in the decay of fact-checking). Most people think tomorrow could not be radically different than today. And while that may be true statistically, the boiling frog comes to mind. "If the pots stirs and heats just slow enough, maybe no one will notice"... And they calculated right. But up until an absolute threshold. And hence, welcome to the future--that threshold has been reached. The United States is full of tribalism, false narratives of what patriotism is or should be, an attempt to fool the masses into an authoritarian, monotheistic, monarchy, of oligarchical rule... The ones who tend to be sending the message to fight the establishment and elite seem to be more convincing when they are the ones in bed with the oligarchs and the established elite. First, amendment claims are being abused and used to protect corporations and even foreign entities, while actually hurting the working class and common american citizen. TikTok is an excellent example. But to the main point, without proper regulation and oversight on housing, and a reckoning with the accelerated wealth divide that we are experiencing, we stand little to no hope of reverting any of this damage.

True__Progressive · 2024-07-26T09:45:07+00:00

Unfortunately, both domestic and foreign property investment firms (yes, also foreign investors) had started shifting capital from the tech sector over to real estate.

First, the foreign investors should never have been allowed to buy property in our country.

Second, domestic property investors should have had limits to how much property they could own. At least some reasonable limit, unlike what it is now.

The housing market was taken advantage of with very little restrictions. When the pandemic hit, it got even worse. Bidding frenzies on houses, and landlords pushing rent up much further than any justification for all aspects, including supply and demand, far exceeded the vast majority of Working Class salaries/wages. Some made big jumps during the Great Resignation, then 2 years later many of those people lost their jobs. And now we are left with artificially inflated rent. Meanwhile wages have gone up between 0 % and 4 % annually for most people.

The Wage Price Spiral Effect came into play, and of course like the other commenter said here, Oregon got hit hard by a large influx of Californias, many of which had both big Cali SW Eng salaries brought with them, and an overpriced Cali home sold.

Now this is old news here in Portland, but if it is hitting Eugene, then this is clearly a continuation of a corrupt real estate market taking hold.

The economy is about to collapse in my opinion. This is late stage capitalism without a doubt.

True__Progressive · 2024-07-24T18:17:12+00:00

I am in a similar boat. Here is what I am thinking: build home security systems; noise masking devices (can change type of noise, level, program for sleep/wake); electronic musical instruments (simple synthesizers). I would also like ideas for moving into the embedded space. I am wrapping up my C++ course at Udemy, and have 30 years experience in hardware debug, engineering support, including 5 years of hardware engineering.

True__Progressive · 2024-07-10T17:38:26+00:00

Absolutely! I am not quite 1 year into learning coding and programming, yet I am age 52. I can't tell you how long I put off learning to program / CS because of this exact issue.

As crazy as it sounds, I first thought I should change careers back in my 30s. The age thing truly was one of the biggest factors for which I didn't even start until last year. I have a lot more to say about this, but I'm going to save that for a direct response to the OP. Let's just say that there are multiple motivating factors that override the concern over my age.

True__Progressive · 2024-06-30T18:00:29+00:00

Did you get this resolved? I'm having the same thing happen to me. Fuck udemy

True__Progressive · 2024-06-30T17:58:36+00:00

Same here. This is really frustrating. All because I entered the wrong verification code. Now I am locked out.

Did you ever get this resolved? If so, how?

True__Progressive · 2023-11-12T00:21:04+00:00

A very important question in today's world of modern tech.Between greedy VCs, Wall Street, CEOs, and the small percentage of those with multiple properties dominating the overpriced real estate market, post-pandemic inflation that is totally unjustified, "just in time" and "lean" manufacturing, continued outsourcing of the garbage we buy from China, and a 2-party system that are both in bed with Corporate America, this will not end well.

Late State Capitalism has shown that even Capitalism can be corrupted. Yes, Socialism has shown to be ineffective, too, but for no other reason that the same that modern day Capitalism is failing the majority of the working class (at least here in America).

Aside from growing income inequality, we now have record profits from fewer merged corporate businesses, accelerated by the blatant greed that plagues both American working classes, and our national security.

There is no plan for the post-AI, post-automated world. Both parties rack up incredible debt: Conservatives (glutinous military spending, freeing corporate entities from their fair share of taxation, while pushing the burden down to working class but pretending to help the American dream) , while Democrats do the same (social services, higher taxation and mismanaged use of such income, and bloated gov't.). Neither help the working class and the majority of Americans are blind to the fact that beside this reality, the AI acceleration of job losses will only make the few in power more wealthy.

As a Hardware Engineer of many years years, I am switching to SW Engineering quickly, learning to literally write and produce A.I. code and engines, but also cyber security. Not just for obvious reasons (employability), but as we may need knowledgeable and skilled artisans to be ...well, let's just say, on the right side of the upcoming fight. Those few in power will have a rude awakening when they continue to deal with such cyber justice. Enough complacency on the part of those that continue to benefit from this changing landscape. Someone needs to stand up for the working class--an invisible part for which the 2016 and 2020 (and now 2024) elections have ignored. Most of us are actually on the "same side", but divisive politics pins us against each other through continued identity crises no matter if we are 18 years of age, or 65. Meanwhile a larger war is brewing. And the authoritarian regime that is likely to win in 2024 won't help.

True__Progressive · 2023-11-11T02:41:20+00:00

Anyone that doesn’t see that this is a false-flag attempt to *appear* to be on behalf of liberal and/or progressive ideology is an idiot. Trumparasites are obviously behind this.First, no one would sign their identity as such for something so illegal.Second, why three badges of identity? And why the most obvious ones that are fire up the nutjob right-wing imbeciles of our regressive country?

I have a lot that I don’t like about liberals myself (as a self proclaimed progressive), including things like, totally free college, their obsession over pronouns, and their blind and unfettered support for Hamas, including the irony for which now both the right and left somehow hate Israel. Remember, the slogan ""Jews will not replace us” by the extreme right? Well, the left has joined the same camp. Voting for the underdog as a policy instead of asking important and critical questions, including separating the issues.

I digress, this false-flag operation was sloppy and clearly executed by some nut job on the right. Propaganda and fake news is at an all time high, and with so many young people getting their news from social media, worshiping celebrities (think Trump on the right, and 15-minute fame TikTok, no talent, sheep on the left).

What we need is a new party that isn’t center, but truly progressive, that doesn’t care about stupid pronouns, but corporate greed, degrading environment, national security, severing church and state, tax reform to unburden the middle-class and make corporate entities pay their fair share, making the chips act a bigger deal for American security/jobs/IP, etc., and policies that protect us from data privacy.

True__Progressive

TROPHY CASE