Contemplating a Career Change
So, I am thinking about going back to school to embark on a new journey in my professional career and I thought to myself, "Why not ask ask my SD friends about it?"
Here's the scoop: I currently work as an "Electronic Technician" in my company's service department. Last May, I realized that if I could create an Excel spreadsheet that would automatically sort incoming units by using predefined parameters, the scheduling of units to be serviced would be much more efficient. Thus began my facination with visual basic for applications (VBA). Once I did a little research and found out what macros were all about, I started teaching myself VBA. (As a matter of fact, now that I think about it, this is why I dropped off SD for several months... I did not have the time for SD at work, because I was using all my free time to build code.)
Anyway... Now, a little more than a year later, I have built multiple dynamic Excel workbooks that make record keeping and data retrieval so much more efficient. Okay, I said all that to say this... while working on my latest VBA project last week, I realized that I would fall asleep thinking about code. When the baby woke up at 3:00 a.m., I would think about code. While finding a moment of peace and quiet in the evenings (when not sneaking time on SD wink), I would think about code.
So, I came to the conclusion that I got it bad... I am completely addicted to writing code. Then I thought, why not become a computer software developer? However, I am a family man (three kids - two of which are 3 years old and younger) with a full time job. I also already have student loans from the online BBA Management degree I earned (but not using).
There is a possibility that my company may be willing to help pay for my classes, if I can talk them into considering me for a backup for our current software writer. However, I am not holding my breath on that one.
Anyway, this post is becoming really long, so I apologize for that. For the three of you still reading, my question is this...
Does anyone know what the job market is like for software developers out there? Does anyone know someone who could give me a few pointers or advice? Thank you in advance.
6 Answers
Your affliction for wanting to create software sounds familiar to me. I did that in the early 1980's and changed careers as a result. I had two big hurdles: 1. Convincing prospective employers I can actually do the job, and 2. Convincing them that I won't soon decide to leave and return to my old field of work when that job market eased up.
Among my programmer colleagues, I find that there's a high proportion of people who did not go to school for software engineering, but rather English, History, Chemical Engineering, Teaching, and many more. Folks with a background in Either software or electrical engineering seem to be in the minority.
The programmer's job market has recovered lately for certain skills, especially for contract work (usually 6-months, or 1-year contracts). I'm in the Philadelphia area, and I'm sure Washington D.C. is equally hot as a tech center. I don't know about Baltimore. I found it quite effective searching on monster.com for work.
Taking classes sounds like a good idea, but it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Employers are interested in results, not education. If your background and independent learning can do the job, and you're willing to let them start you at a bargain salary, you'll make the transition. The trick is finding a job you can actually do.
I have a relative who went into the programmer's market by doing excel spreadsheet work, reporting work, data fiddling... whatever, for an office of mostly pharmaceutical management people. After he studied more on his own, he got into more mainstream software engineering work, and now consults for web application software work.
Your VBA skills is not a bad start. You may want to read up on Java and related technologies and get a flavor of what you may be headed towards.
Sorry for the long post.
Dan, I have to be honest with you....
I currently work as an "Electronic Technician" in my company's service department. Last May, I realized that if I could create an Excel spreadsheet that would automatically sort incoming units by using predefined parameters, the scheduling of units to be serviced would be much more efficient. Thus began my facination with visual basic for applications (VBA). Once I did a little research and found out what macros were all about, I started teaching myself VBA.
I feel as if you are speaking a foreign language above! ;) 
I would love to give you some pivotal advice in regards to what you have described. However, I have no clue what you are talking about. I just know that it is something you truly enjoy talking about!
I will tell you what I do know. I say you follow your heart and try to get paid for doing what you are already passionate about. It sounds like you really enjoy talking about and working with "code"so I say "go for it!" You are still young and your family is still young. So if there is a time for taking chances, that time is now! Sometimes people opt for the safer route, but "safe"is not always better. I know in today's job market it is scary to switch careers. However, if you can make it work, I think both you and your family will benefit! I wish you the best!
I know I am the last person to give you any technical advice on this topic, but since I was one of the three who completely read the entire post, jejeje, I do advise you to follow your dream and to be true to yourself.
¡Buena suerte! 
I quit my job in December to go back to school for a career change. If you can afford it (or afford to take on the debt, like I did, yikes!) I say go for it. I figured that I have some work experience, a college degree already, but no family to support, so I could take the risk. You seem to have a clearly defined goal, which is a great step toward making a career change!
I think programmers are going to be more and more useful as cyber security becomes more of an issue for national security and for corporations.
Also, have you checked out the openware courses offered at MIT? I tried to start learning Python but that went no where, lol.
If you are able to put some languages on your resume, maybe you can find another job where you can learn there rather than take on more loans and take too much time away from your family.
¡buena suerte!
In Mexico there are many jobs for IT, that's other thnig I love about programming jaja. 
My dad is computer engineer and a software developer. I don't know as much as he does, but I do know that there are lots of opportunities in this field (my dad currently has a well-paying job and on top of that has been offered jobs at other companies while doing his current job) and that the hours are decent and pay is good. Of course, my dad has been a software developer for many, many years (so that might contribute a bit to the pay and job offers), but I think if you love it, you should go for it.
I know that in Ireland IT is the only area where there are still jobs, but I'm not sure if this is specific to some areas of IT or not.
If I were you I'd go for it, you can never learn too much in life or have too great a variety of experiences.
