Student Q&A: Mark Midel
Prior to moving to Australia, Mark Midel had experience in the programming field overseas. Even though he had some skills and knowledge under his belt, he knew studying a relevant qualification in Australia would be the first step in helping him secure employment in the IT field, which is one of the reasons why he wanted to study Programming with Upskilled.
In this Q&A, we learn more about Mark's course experience regarding the skills and knowledge he's developed, what type of support he received from his trainers and his tips for future students thinking about studying programming.
Why did you decide to study Programming?
I chose to study Programming because I already had some background in C#.NET before and I wanted to learn more about the language and environment. I also wanted to be able to shift from a procedural programming language to an object-oriented one.
Before coming to Australia, I was developing using COBOL Mainframe three years ago. There are few companies utilising this technology, which is why I decided to learn a new language and environment. It was also an opportunity to enhance my knowledge and have the chance to get back into IT and programming.
The IT industry is broad and has many areas of expertise. What motivated you to follow the programming pathway?
I was previously a developer/programmer, which is why I wanted to enhance my knowledge in programming. It’s been really difficult landing a job but I have my fingers-crossed. Besides being an experienced programmer, I chose to follow this career pathway because it’s what I was trained to do and eventually, I learned to like it. There are times where you really hate it but it’s like building a gundam figure; once you’ve completed building it, you feel joy in seeing the final product.
What skills and knowledge have you developed from the course?
I have learned a lot from this course, technical aspects as well as skills that make me a better individual. The technical aspect of the course is learning to develop using C#.NET in Visual Studio such as creating windows applications and mobile applications - these were the most difficult assignments for me. However, I feel great being able to learn how to create a mobile application.
I also learned some documentation skills I never knew before, such as creating user stories. Besides the technical aspects I acquired, I also learned how to be patient and manage my time. It took me a while to complete this course, maybe because I was working as well but I have learned patience in developing an application, especially when running into errors.
How will this course help you find work in the IT field?
I am able to understand more object-oriented programming and some of the current programming languages used today. Also, I have learned from other people’s advice that the piece of paper – the certificate is an important piece of document that could help me land an IT role. I believe this course covered a lot, which made it a rewarding learning experience.
How did your trainer support you throughout your studies?
My trainer helped me a lot to complete this course. They were always supportive, especially when I was having trouble with some of my assessments. They gave me additional information to be able to answer the assessments.
My trainer also gave positive feedback on my work and if my assessment needed additional changes. Thank you to my trainers, Bev Raymond and Matthew Roderick for being patient with me and helping me complete this course.
Do you have any tips you’d like to share to future students thinking about studying programming?
I believe programming is a great course to learn, especially if you’re into creating new applications or figuring out how they work; it’s not all about writing code. Programming is about writing good code that everybody can understand and there is documentation involved.
Documentations such as software design, database design, technical documents, etc which also needs to be well-written as well. Also, don’t get frustrated when something is not working. Just be positive and know that there’s always a way to make things work and your trainers will always be there to support you.
Work towards a qualification in programming
If you want to develop some skills and knowledge in the programming field, look into studying Programming.
One of the benefits of studying with Upskilled is that courses are delivered online, meaning you can have the flexibility of being able to fit in your studies according to your schedule.
If you're interested in studying programming with Upskilled, get in touch with the team today and have a friendly consultation with one of our education consultants by calling 1300 009 924.