OK I need to give a talk to highschool kids on "a day in the life" of a software engineer. Ideas?

[NuclearNed]

Teach them via metaphor. Tell the kids "this is what its like to be a software engineer". Then have someone repeatedly kick you in the groin, pausing only momentarily to tell you that all salary increases have been frozen this year.

 

[kinev]

Originally posted by: se7en

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: se7en


If I were you I would cover the basics of what you do of course but include references to hot chics, cars and models in general. Yeah your background is of interest but keep it short and simple, ya know "this is how I started in school, this is what went for and this is where I am".

Contrast by saying that had you went into "x" field there would be no hot chics, no fast cars and no going out 4 nights a week and partying likes its 2012. Pics always help!!And no I am not being saracastic @ all.. .. you were in HS right? Did you ever sit and listen to some guy talk about how fantastic software is? Give examples of software THEY use.. ..like bearshare, GIS, games, how consoles relate, and how the film industry now uses such complex FX software yadda yadda.

If you could bring a hot chic as an assistant that would keep a % of them interested too. Thats what I would do.. maybe not say "im a SE I get all the women" but more along the lines of.. "we've developed software for companies such as Playboy, Wicked Studios, NextDoorNikki.com", or general references towards the female gender. Fast cars work just as well to so going over a few aspects of that industry might work well too.

Are you on crack? Lying to HS students telling them that software engineering is about fast cars and hot chicks? LOL

lying.. ..nah.. we'll just say "stretching it a bit". And I wouldn't say its all about cars N' women just use examples that happen to correlate. Lying is such a harsh word.. ..i prefer .. ..entertain.. ..intrigue.. ..selective truth :beer:

I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[EagleKeeper]

You need to delinate between a S/W engineer, tech support and coder.

Tech Support = ATOT

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: se7en
ok you could bore them with what you really do or spice it up a bit!! Most HS kids dont want to be listening to you they would rather be socializing or doing nothing in general.

If I were you I would cover the basics of what you do of course but include references to hot chics, cars and models in general. Yeah your background is of interest but keep it short and simple, ya know "this is how I started in school, this is what went for and this is where I am".

Contrast by saying that had you went into "x" field there would be no hot chics, no fast cars and no going out 4 nights a week and partying likes its 2012. Pics always help!!And no I am not being saracastic @ all.. .. you were in HS right? Did you ever sit and listen to some guy talk about how fantastic software is? Give examples of software THEY use.. ..like bearshare, GIS, games, how consoles relate, and how the film industry now uses such complex FX software yadda yadda.

If you could bring a hot chic as an assistant that would keep a % of them interested too. Thats what I would do.. maybe not say "im a SE I get all the women" but more along the lines of.. "we've developed software for companies such as Playboy, Wicked Studios, NextDoorNikki.com", or general references towards the female gender. Fast cars work just as well to so going over a few aspects of that industry might work well too.

You used GIS in your high school?

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Teach them via metaphor. Tell the kids "this is what its like to be a software engineer". Then have someone repeatedly kick you in the groin, pausing only momentarily to tell you that all salary increases have been frozen this year.

LOL.