Become a Computer Software Engineer
We have compiled a list of 37 useful ways to explore the world of computer engineering
-there is something for everyone, from software engineering basics to programming languages. All you need is an internet connection and you are on your way!
## Introduction for Personal Experiences
The following blog post will be about my personal experience with writing. Hopefully this will provide some insight into what can be a difficult topic to write on. I am also hoping that it will help motivate readers by showing that they are not alone in their experiences and uncertainties. Furthermore, it might explain why writing can often seem like such a daunting task when we think about all the steps and processes involved in creating just one piece of text.
This is my first attempt at writing about something personal. Therefore, I want to provide some explanation for why I am doing this. My goal is to help other people get comfortable with writing and speaking in a public space. By sharing something personal, I hope that people will realize that they can create good content on any topics under the sun!
The first reason that I am writing this article is to educate others so they can learn from my experience with writing online. Last semester, one of my classmates asked me a question at the beginning of class one day which still resonates with me today: "How do you write online?". Without hesitation, I responded: "By starting. You just end up writing about whatever you need to write about." However, my classmate did not seem satisfied with this answer and asked me another question: "Why can't we just write with a blog?" I don't know the answer to that question and still don't, but hopefully through my experience, I can shed some light on why this is such an important question.
After sharing my experience it's important that I explain why writing is so difficult for me. I am inspired by some great writers like Matthew Inman who use humor and sarcastic wit when talking about topics that many people struggle with. However, it was difficult for me to find common ground with Mr. Inman on this level of humor because we are different people with different experiences.
The second reason that I am writing this post is personal. I want to show that it is normal to be nervous when starting a new project. I hope writing this will help alleviate my nervousness and make it so that the next time I start something new, I don't completely lose my mind!
Finally, there is one more reason; it's time for me to share what has become a difficult and very personal topic for me.
My brother committed suicide about six months after his first day of college over four years ago now, and the last time we talked was in the midst of his drama with living with his girlfriend at her parents house. I've been thinking about these things a lot recently and have been wanting to get something out of my head and onto the screen. First, I want to keep moving on from my brother's death and second, I want to explain why writing this was so difficult for me.
I hope that anyone who reads this will understand that writing about something like this is hard because as soon as you start it becomes difficult to stop. For example, after my brother's death, I couldn't find it within myself to write a word despite having so many emotions inside of me which desperately needed an outlet. It wasn't until I started my second poster that writing became much easier.
## A Little Bit About Me
My name is Eric and I am a Computer Software Engineering student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. Currently, I study programming languages and software engineering as well as write computer programs to solve problems in my class. Interestingly enough, I was really bad at computer programming when starting college and struggled in my first programming class. However, after getting some advice from the course's teaching assistant, I was able to make it through the course by analyzing parts of the program and by talking with other students outside of the classroom.
My computer science education at Rensselaer began in the fall of 2012. I had a great experience in the program and am incredibly happy with my choice of school. Currently, I'm majoring in Computer Science/Software Engineering program which is a combination of Software Engineering and Computer Science.
As far as my programming background goes, it includes Java, C++, and some HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript programming. I really enjoy learning new technologies so I spend a lot of time researching the latest technologies on websites like Hackernoon , LifeHacker , DocStoc , etc.
## Project Idea
Over the past few months, I've been trying to get into writing more articles for this blog. However from time to time I'll have a tough time getting started. One day, I stumbled upon this idea for a cool app that would be incredibly useful for refugees that are trying to find jobs. The idea behind the app is that refugees would be able to share their data with employers who would then be able to look up their data online and get a better understanding of what they can offer in the American workplace.
I recently came across this article on Huffington Post which talks about how immigrants are struggling in today's economy and how some part of this comes from fears about losing their job because of immigration status. This is an issue that I'm inclined to take a stand for, not just because of my heritage but also because of how important it is for people to have the opportunity to get jobs which match their skills and interests.
With that said, I want to do something to try and help refugees succeed in America. One way I want to do this is by creating an app that connects refugees with potential employers. I hope this will be useful tool that can help bridge the gap between employers who need workers and those who need jobs.
## How the App Will Work
I always start a project by thinking about how the app will work. For this project, I think the app will include some type of user input form and a visual representation of the data.
My first use case for this app would be to run a user's name, email address, and country of origin through some sort of algorithm and then output the results to a Google Map. Next, I would want to create the form that a refugee could use to enter his/her information. This information would be gathered via an online survey which gets posted through Facebook or Google Plus that provides refugees with more privacy than something like Twitter.
The survey could ask refugees questions about their skills, education, and work experience. This would help employers to get an understanding of what kind of job that a refugee has experience with. After running the refugees information through the algorithm previously mentioned, I would then create a visual map which highlights the areas in which that refugee lives in and his/her skills.
This brings me to my next task, which is to use technology that I know to create a data visualization using Highcharts which will allow me to show how many people live in each area as well as how many people have certain skillsets in each area. The algorithm will be able to tell me where people are located as well as what kind of work/education experience they have.
Conclusion
With all of the ideas in mind, I hope to start this project at some point in the future. I'm not quite sure when it will be, but hopefully soon!
Thanks for reading! I really appreciate any feedback as well as your support on this topic. Please feel free to leave a comment below if you have any feedback and/or ideas on how I can make my blog more useful and meaningful.
Posted by Eric Conner at 3:42 PM No comments:
About Me Name: Eric Conner Gender: Male Location: Troy, NY United States of America I am a Computer Science and Software Engineering major at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.