brainstorming about carrier options; should I learn a second computer language? :)

[Blokk]

Thanks Intaris for your thoughts, I replied to your PM too! 🙂

edit: hmm, you mentioned SPS (PLC) programming. Actually in our lab, the high safety things (radioactive areas) are run under the umbrella of Siemens PLC hw and software (our automation team is well experienced using these, much less in NI's similar offers). 

I might take some trainings from Siemens for PLC programming, why not?

[crossrulz]

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Blokk wrote:  I might take some trainings from Siemens for PLC programming, why not?

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If I was going to make a major career shift, that would be my focus as well.  I enjoyed the industrial setting off and on for about 9 months.  But now I am back to my first love in engineering: Test.  And since I came to my current company, I have learned all kinds of new stuff and it makes me excited.  I sure did miss messing around with hardware design...

[KitKate]

I tend to pick up bits and pieces of programming languages all the time, so may be biased on the "should I learn new languages" question.  Of course you should!

MATLAB still seems solid for data analysis in institutions and big organizations.  Python can be a poor man's MATLAB, but having used both I prefer MATLAB given the choice and funding.  But if you are doing your own home projects or want to join anything open source (where you could gain a community to give you feedback and help you grow) go python!  

You could also surf around for an open source project that looks fun to you with easy issues on github and just learn whatever you need to contribute.  That sounds the most rewarding to me.

Your mileage may vary.  

[Blokk]

Hello,

I am back to revive this thread, because today finally I got the "long-awaited" informal feedback that my recent employer cannot offer me a permanent position from January 2019, and no renewal of my fixed-time contract possible anymore due to some local regulations.

Actually I am very happy for this info, because now my situation got 100% clear, I can concentrate on finalizing my recent projects in a proper way, and have time to seek new opportunities. The earliest date I would take a new position is summer 2018, but because I have still my contract until end of this year, I am not forced to hurry! 🙂

Well, I have 2-3 active job-applications right now, and I have a job interview in one week too, lets see how it plays out... I put my details/CV on some online job-sites, and -why not?- also posted here at the NI forum.

Ok, let me get to my question. Before I leave, I would like to use the available budget we have here, to take some more courses/trainings. One option would be to pay for some training/coaching to fill the gaps in my LV skills, before trying to pass the CLA exam (well if they pay it for me, why not to try, maybe around late Spring...). I do not find the available learning options flexible/attractive enough offered by NI, I wonder what kind of LabVIEW trainings/coaching is offered by third parties, like partners of NI? I found some related info at delacor.com, and I already wrote them an email. Are you aware of some other reliable companies offering such options (in English)? Of course I would need to check the pricing options etc... (naturally the budget is not unlimited what I can spend for such purpose til i am here 🙂 ).

Another thing I could be interested in, is LV RT/FPGA training. I found an option offered by NI, like a 5-day-long classroom course, but I think the price is slightly over the threshold to get such spending authorized by my bosses 🙂 Are there such trainings offered by NI partners, maybe with more competitive pricing?

Any other ideas are welcome! If you were in my position, what kind of trainings/courses would you go for, before leaving? Can be also non-NI related thing... (well, for example, I would love learn some better skills in kayaking, but I have the feeling I could get some difficulties with authorizing such quote at our purchase department 😄 )

Thanks! 🙂

[crossrulz]

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@Blokk wrote:

Any other ideas are welcome! If you were in my position, what kind of trainings/courses would you go for, before leaving?

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Well, NI Week is coming up in May.  With the Advanced User track being exploded into something bigger, that could be seen as a training event.

[altenbach]

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@Blokk wrote:

Another thing I could be interested in, is LV RT/FPGA training. 

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NI Week also hosts the BYOES workshop. I am not sure about the pricing and in the past you got to keep the FPGA eval kit to take home. (See also)

[Blokk]

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@crossrulz wrote:

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@Blokk wrote:

Any other ideas are welcome! If you were in my position, what kind of trainings/courses would you go for, before leaving?

---

Well, NI Week is coming up in May.  With the Advanced User track being exploded into something bigger, that could be seen as a training event.

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Thanks, but I think NI Week in Austin would blow the budget (and I am not counting the plane ticket+hotel cost yet) 🙂

edit: but for sure i will try to convince my boss... one argument point would be the above mentioned training section. Like you pay one, get two...

I guess i need a full pass ticket to attend this training section? I have to check again the cost of the ticket, i did a few months ago, but i forgot.

Plus ticket from Frankfurt and accommodation (or i take a ⛺ 😄 )...

[Blokk]

By the way, why is it called "Week"? It is only Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday as I see...and I just missed the early-bird price 😞

edit: hmm, as I see there is an "Full Conference (Academic Discount)" for 500 USD, which is like 400 EUR, that is not too bad 🙂

edit: at another page it states it starts on Monday, so not that short, ok...

[crossrulz]

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@Blokk wrote:

By the way, why is it called "Week"? It is only Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday as I see...and I just missed the early-bird price 😞

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Monday is typically reserved as "Alliance Day", where the NI Alliance Partners have some special sessions.  I think there is an Academic Forum on Monday as well.

[Hooovahh]

Just prepare next year buy getting a session to present on.  Presenters get in for free.  Of course to me the largest part of the cost is the hotel.  It just goes up and up every year.  Last year I stayed one less night, and got a cheaper flight, but it still ended up costing more than the year before.  Monday is a little boring if you aren't an Alliance Partner.  The Academic Forum isn't terrible I just didn't find much value in it the last couple of years.  The year they announced the myRIO was pretty cool.  But since then Monday in my opinion has been for Alliance Partners, or special training sessions or exams that cost extra.