This is a question to everybody working in IT, electrical engineering or having some insights into that.
This is my situation:
I am now 40 years old. After an adventurous life full of different jobs, mainly low qualification and low pay, I decided to study electrical and informational engineering through e-learning courses, in a few months I will have my bachelor degree as an electric engineer.
So now it s time to specialize into something and become really good in that field.
I always escaped a lifestyle of sitting in an office( the 9 to 5 mill) for years, that was never for me, but for the cost of low pay and low career chances. But everybody always told me that I am a smart guy, good in maths and logical thinking, able to learn almost everything. So I finally studied , teached myself a lot in the field of programming and hope somehow to find a way to put my knowledge into money without giving up my freedom.
I am not sure if these studies were the perfect way matching my goals, probably not, but that decision is over, now the question is how to use it effectively for my goals.
I will of course to work for an employer for some time getting practical experience, maybe 2 or 3 years, but my goal is to have a freeer lifestyle in about three years. Ideally of course sitting on a beach somewhere working on my notebook for 4 hours a week, ok that s the phantasy on the high end, or just have projectwise jobs in a normal office but some longer vacations in between them, that s the low end.
I know the next step after bachelor degree is to specialize into something and become really good in that field.
My preference so far is that it s something software related, I am more the thinker, like logical mathematical things, on the other hand I have no practical background in tech fields.
But what exactly?
my ideas are:
1. Embedded Systems programming, Microcontrollers, hardware related programming, mainly in C and C++. here I could use my studied subject as this field is mainly done by electrical engineers.
2. PLC programming , machine controlling
3. classical software development for desktops in C++, java or whatever
4. programming mobile apps
5. Webdevelopment, preferably backend (PHP).
Generally I would consider that the more technical stuff like PLC or Embedded Systems is better paid and in higher need/ less competition , and it is connected to my field of study, electric engineering. But on the other hand the pure software paths , especially Webdevelopment is more the typical freelancing stuff that could easier lead to location and time independance, you need nothing ore than a notebook for that, has lower entrance barriers, more sources to learn for free on the Internet, there is more short term projectwise work, more of a hire and fire mentality which I appreciate.
Is anybody working or freelancing in one of the fields?
Could you check my ideas by the following five criteria?
1. in high need/ low competition
2. good money
3. freedom. The possibilities for freelancing, projectwise work, location independance
4. how fast is it possible to teach yourself the stuff necessary until making money
5. How are the structures in that field, as I am not the youngest, where are more unconventional minded people not looking too much on the CV but on the person and the things you know and can do.
Really appreciate any comments on that subject, I want to make my decision in the next 2 -3 months.
This is my situation:
I am now 40 years old. After an adventurous life full of different jobs, mainly low qualification and low pay, I decided to study electrical and informational engineering through e-learning courses, in a few months I will have my bachelor degree as an electric engineer.
So now it s time to specialize into something and become really good in that field.
I always escaped a lifestyle of sitting in an office( the 9 to 5 mill) for years, that was never for me, but for the cost of low pay and low career chances. But everybody always told me that I am a smart guy, good in maths and logical thinking, able to learn almost everything. So I finally studied , teached myself a lot in the field of programming and hope somehow to find a way to put my knowledge into money without giving up my freedom.
I am not sure if these studies were the perfect way matching my goals, probably not, but that decision is over, now the question is how to use it effectively for my goals.
I will of course to work for an employer for some time getting practical experience, maybe 2 or 3 years, but my goal is to have a freeer lifestyle in about three years. Ideally of course sitting on a beach somewhere working on my notebook for 4 hours a week, ok that s the phantasy on the high end, or just have projectwise jobs in a normal office but some longer vacations in between them, that s the low end.
I know the next step after bachelor degree is to specialize into something and become really good in that field.
My preference so far is that it s something software related, I am more the thinker, like logical mathematical things, on the other hand I have no practical background in tech fields.
But what exactly?
my ideas are:
1. Embedded Systems programming, Microcontrollers, hardware related programming, mainly in C and C++. here I could use my studied subject as this field is mainly done by electrical engineers.
2. PLC programming , machine controlling
3. classical software development for desktops in C++, java or whatever
4. programming mobile apps
5. Webdevelopment, preferably backend (PHP).
Generally I would consider that the more technical stuff like PLC or Embedded Systems is better paid and in higher need/ less competition , and it is connected to my field of study, electric engineering. But on the other hand the pure software paths , especially Webdevelopment is more the typical freelancing stuff that could easier lead to location and time independance, you need nothing ore than a notebook for that, has lower entrance barriers, more sources to learn for free on the Internet, there is more short term projectwise work, more of a hire and fire mentality which I appreciate.
Is anybody working or freelancing in one of the fields?
Could you check my ideas by the following five criteria?
1. in high need/ low competition
2. good money
3. freedom. The possibilities for freelancing, projectwise work, location independance
4. how fast is it possible to teach yourself the stuff necessary until making money
5. How are the structures in that field, as I am not the youngest, where are more unconventional minded people not looking too much on the CV but on the person and the things you know and can do.
Really appreciate any comments on that subject, I want to make my decision in the next 2 -3 months.