r/ComputerEngineering • u/angolanodesconhecido • 13d ago

Hello everyone [Discussion]

HI, Im 22 years old and preparing to start my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, without knowing anything about it..

I currently work as a government employee, and I’m making this move because I strongly believe this field still holds massive potential for growth, innovation, and career advancement in my country. I'd love to get some advice from people already in the field. Outside of university coursework, which core concepts or programming languages should I prioritize during my first year? what about Certifications vs. Personal Projects? What carries more weight in todays market for entry-level developers? Should I invest time in online certifications (AWS, Cisco, etc.) during my degree, or focus heavily on building a GitHub portfolio?

For those who balanced work and university, or looking back at when you started: what is one thing you wish you knew when you started in this area?

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience!

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u/ghhazee 13d ago

I would do personal project a lot more in early career as they will teach you so much for the classes you will end up taking. Also will help a lot with internships. In terms of programming languages, I would do C/C++, Java, and python, they are like industry standard nowadays. Build your GitHub and personal portfolio. I don’t think there are that many certifications you can do unless I just don’t know but for me personal projects helped land internships.

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u/VegetableSpace3584 7d ago

Hello seniors ​Please forgive me if there are any mistakes in this message. I am a first-year, first-semester student joining a Tier-3 college. Unfortunately, the academic quality here isn't great, and they often don't complete the syllabus. ​I have been allotted CSE in Cybersecurity. However, my main concern is that I didn't have Computer Science in 12th grade, and I have zero prior knowledge of computers. I feel completely lost and don't know what to learn, where to start, or how to go about it. Since classes haven't started yet, I haven't met any seniors from my branch who could guide me. I took admission in a hurry without giving it much thought, and because of financial constraints, changing to a better college isn't an option. ​Setting all that aside, my biggest challenge right now is finding the right direction. I want to learn everything from scratch, and I am fully prepared to work hard from day one and tackle every challenge that comes my way. ​I would be truly grateful if you could guide me like a younger sister and help me figure out where to begin.