My 32 year old brother is about to invest 2 years and 24k into a CompSci degree - how do I stop him?

Your are a loony or a troll

Let people do what they want weirdo

"This is just it! He will be a web developer after he finishes his program - what the heck can he do with that besides a low paying ' code factory' type job? "

It should not take 2 years to get a web-dev job. 6 months tops. Unless he's actually getting a CS degree, I would encourage him to look for less expensive education.

24k would be cheap for CS, but not for a WebDev speciality.

BTW: not all web dev jobs are low paying. You can make money there too if you are good, and are an expert level JavaScript programmer (which you "could" be in two years if you are smart and very motivated).

He's after the diploma. He has zero experience in this. I really, strongly feel he is setting himself up for failure. Whereas he has almost 10 years experience as a bar manager. A year spent up skilling in hospitality could get him a nice 70k + benefits stable career. A year spent on webdev will have him taking crappy online gigs for $20/hour or working in a code factory. Why do people keep calling me an Ahole for wanting to help him??

blatblatblat wrote:

"This is just it! He will be a web developer after he finishes his program - what the heck can he do with that besides a low paying ' code factory' type job? "

It should not take 2 years to get a web-dev job. 6 months tops. Unless he's actually getting a CS degree, I would encourage him to look for less expensive education.

24k would be cheap for CS, but not for a WebDev speciality.

BTW: not all web dev jobs are low paying. You can make money there too if you are good, and are an expert level JavaScript programmer (which you "could" be in two years if you are smart and very motivated).

I understand what you're trying to do but I think you're going about it the wrong way.

Your brother is basically "stuck" on the idea that he needs to "turn his life around" by becoming a professional.

He's essentially been sucked in by all the media hype around tech and likely sees this as a career that people respect and where he can make lots of money (which may or may not be true). He also likely sees it as the path of least resistance to getting a "real career".

Instead of pointing out all the reasons he shouldn't pursue this maybe highlight all the reasons why a hospitality management job is a real career and professional type things he can do to pursue this. ie. He enrolls in a business program, goes to seminars, attends networking events, applies for management trainee positions etc.

Also maybe compare and contrast.

Leave him alone. He could always go back to bar tending.

Sure - but then he'll be a broke 35 year old trying to build his career from an even deeper hole. I'm trying to advise him so he gets going on the best path now!

GoatZenHeimer wrote:

Leave him alone. He could always go back to bar tending.

I think the ageism comments are a bit off the mark Or maybe dependent upon where you are located. I'm in the Midwest, and at age 45 I changed careers to become a software developer and didn't experience any age related issues in finding a job. Nobody cared how old I was. Everyone cared about what my technical abilities were. Would it be different in Silicon Valley. Probably. But I have a great job that I enjoy and will always be a midwesterner. Software developers are in-demand. Kudos to your brother, I hope he does it.

Hmm what was your job prior to being a software developer. Makes a huge difference if you were a bartender, construction worker etc. or a degreed math major working as an economist etc. ie. If you had worked the past 20 years as an electrical engineer and then added a software development skill set I am sure you would be welcomed with open arms but if you had been serving drinks for a decade maybe not so much...

Yeah, right wrote:

I think the ageism comments are a bit off the mark Or maybe dependent upon where you are located. I'm in the Midwest, and at age 45 I changed careers to become a software developer and didn't experience any age related issues in finding a job. Nobody cared how old I was. Everyone cared about what my technical abilities were. Would it be different in Silicon Valley. Probably. But I have a great job that I enjoy and will always be a midwesterner. Software developers are in-demand. Kudos to your brother, I hope he does it.

I think he sees it as an easy / high demand field when I think it's the opposite. I'm NOT discouraging him from improving his life as a lot of you think I'm doing - I'm just trying to point out his misconception of being a web developer! But yes you are right - rather then point out he has a terribly skewed view of the industry (likely due to misreporting by the media) I should try to point out the benefits of pursuing an alternative career line.

You keep throwing out the "lazy" label, but I would argue that he has soft skills which could get him ahead. If you are a bartender pulling down 60k, you have what many are lacking in the software development field - people skills. Those who can be charismatic and be leaders without letting their job title go to their head can be wildly successful in any corporate setting, as long as they are willing to submit to the corporate machine.

The devs who make big money are the ones who reach supervisory/project management roles, and those who have people skills are more likely to reach this career level.

In other words, your brother could be like Peter Gibbons from Office Space.

I'm absolutely not denying that. If he was a software developer right now I'm sure he would be in the top 10% with his EQ, personality and charm. Unfortunately he has to battle through hard detail oriented tedium for years to get there which I think will be nearly impossible for him.

Psycho-logist wrote:

You keep throwing out the "lazy" label, but I would argue that he has soft skills which could get him ahead. If you are a bartender pulling down 60k, you have what many are lacking in the software development field - people skills. Those who can be charismatic and be leaders without letting their job title go to their head can be wildly successful in any corporate setting, as long as they are willing to submit to the corporate machine.

The devs who make big money are the ones who reach supervisory/project management roles, and those who have people skills are more likely to reach this career level.

In other words, your brother could be like Peter Gibbons from Office Space.

His part time classes start September. He's doing something called "free code camp" right now. He cut his bar hours from 35 to 15 for the Fall so will be well below the poverty line AND still have class fees.

I'm trying to be more encouraging now that he's enrolled officially in 2 classes but we're getting together for my birthday beers this weekend so going to pitch the hospitality management again.

I think your brother is definitely making a mistake pursuing a technical career he knows nothing about this late in life.

I wouldn't coddle him too much - sometimes people like this need touch love. Tell him he is f-ing up and you won't support it.

I've made my thoughts to him pretty clear but this post is being shot down pretty hard so I've backed off lately. Essentially it boils down to this:Instead of making 60k right now while honing his business acumen and growing his network in the hospitality industry he has drastically cut is hours and is making 30k - paying $300-500/ class (I think he's taking 2 at the moment)

micky eh wrote:

I think your brother is definitely making a mistake pursuing a technical career he knows nothing about this late in life.

I wouldn't coddle him too much - sometimes people like this need touch love. Tell him he is f-ing up and you won't support it.

Think you have some misconceptions about the field of software dev.

Everyone and his dog can code nowadays - your brother will be in tough to get his foot in the door let alone a well paying job against a bunch of hungry 20 somethings.

You're giving him good advice to stay put despite what the majority seems to (incorrectly) think.