Timeline for Applicants clearly not having the skills they advertise
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
22 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Jun 1, 2019 at 8:58 | comment | added | joojaa | @Flyto actually its not rare to see CS people who never have set up a project let alone done other than press the compile button. I have met several and they were still good programmers. | |
| S May 31, 2019 at 18:26 | history | suggested | Malady | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
Spelling fix.
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| May 31, 2019 at 18:23 | comment | added | Flyto | @jmbpiano but only one of those languages actually uses a compiler... | |
| May 31, 2019 at 18:23 | comment | added | jmbpiano | @Flyto That argument would be more compelling if the person didn't explicitly list the names of four mainstream programming languages on their CV. If you know enough to recognize the language you're using I'd expect you to know enough to have at least heard the term "compiler" and have at least a vague notion that it's "the thing what makes human-like language into the thing my electronics components can understand". | |
| May 31, 2019 at 18:15 | comment | added | Flyto | @MasonWheeler true for programmers. But is it true for engineers who happen to do some programming as part of their job or course? If they've learned "I write my code, then I press this "build" button to test it", will they necessarily know which compiler is being used, or even what a compiler is? I'd argue it's less like a writer not knowing what a word processor is, and more like a LaTeX user not understanding the difference between LaTeX and the editor they're using - which is quite a common confusion IME. | |
| May 31, 2019 at 17:21 | comment | added | DrMrstheMonarch | @MasonWheeler How many rando students would you have to ask which compiler matlab, or arduino uses before you’d find one who knows, do you think...? Ive been using matlab and embedded coder for years, and i would have to google it to find out. Generally you’re right. I agree, really people should know more about their studies...A compiler isnt exotic at all nowadays, but students seemingly don’t care...if i could get my students to just read SE when they have questions, id claim to be successful at teaching. :) | |
| May 31, 2019 at 17:13 | comment | added | Mason Wheeler | @morbo A compiler isn't "let alone knowing this exotic thing" territory, not for programmers at least. A programmer not knowing what a compiler is would be like a writer not knowing what a word processor is, or a carpenter not knowing what a saw is. | |
| May 31, 2019 at 16:45 | review | Suggested edits | |||
| S May 31, 2019 at 18:26 | |||||
| May 31, 2019 at 16:08 | comment | added | Kit | This (admittedly quite old) incident illustrates the OU's issues beautifully: theregister.co.uk/Print/2008/10/01/… | |
| May 31, 2019 at 9:10 | comment | added | Chris H | @jcm that's why I concentrate on case 2 and reserve judgement on case 1. I have seen cases of interview nerves so bad people struggle to clearly state simple facts about themselves at first, until they've relaxed into I the interview, so I wouldn't rule out someone going to pieces on a soft question | |
| May 31, 2019 at 8:53 | comment | added | jcm | I know this happens a lot but it's very difficult to believe that an EE grad not knowing Ohm's Law isn't some sign of fraud. | |
| May 31, 2019 at 6:43 | comment | added | user34687 | @ChrisH I've worked with UK ICT degree holders who were very good, and I've also worked with UK ICT degree holders who couldn't hold their own in any sense and were not worth their salary. But my personal experience with the OU was just astoundingly bad, laughingly so. | |
| May 31, 2019 at 6:38 | comment | added | Chris H | @Moo I've heard almost exactly the same story about the OU but also traditional uni courses | |
| May 31, 2019 at 0:43 | comment | added | user34687 | I work at a senior level in IT and don't have a related degree - I decided to get the 'bit of paper' in 2011, after working in the industry for 15 years, and signed up to an Open University ICT degree. The quality of the knowledge they were teaching was appalling, and most of it was woefully out of date (as in became something we wouldnt do in industry 5-10 years prior) and completely inadequate and inappropriate for any graduate to take into industry. So no, it doesn't surprise me that you say its perfectly possible to get a degree and still struggle with the basics. | |
| May 30, 2019 at 20:37 | comment | added | DrMrstheMonarch | I couldn't say to be honest. I admit I'm in the engineering department at my university...so I don't have direct contact with CS students, however considering how poorly equipped (namely useless) the students come to my university, and how poorly equipped (namely being entitled, but forgot everything they learned) they come out. I'm honestly surprised when a student even asks a question, instead of just talking during the lectures and playing on their phones in class, let alone bothered to learn something on their own that they didn't have to. But maybe the CS kids are different? | |
| May 30, 2019 at 20:31 | comment | added | Neuromancer | @morbo don't German CS students program for several years before at school ? | |
| May 30, 2019 at 18:41 | comment | added | Chris H | @morbo the UK case is similar except most students don't do an industrial placement (for those that do it's a year). | |
| May 30, 2019 at 18:18 | comment | added | DrMrstheMonarch | I think its important to add in Germany academia, atleast in engineering, the students are given everything, and are rushed to finish their degree within 7 semesters...one of those an internship. There simply isn’t time to bother learning the name of programs 90% dont care about or want to use let alone something like a compiler. | |
| May 30, 2019 at 17:54 | history | edited | Chris H | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
A little more gentle on the students
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| May 30, 2019 at 14:27 | vote | accept | Mookuh | ||
| May 30, 2019 at 7:51 | comment | added | Chris H | I'm in the UK BTW, not so very far away from you. I have a little experience with German graduates, but mainly the really good ones | |
| May 30, 2019 at 7:50 | history | answered | Chris H | CC BY-SA 4.0 |