Career Advice for aspiring engineers / computer science students

AI Discussions
1

AI is all over the news. Should aspiring engineers and computer science students jump straight to learning AI? (There seems to now be a large number of AI courses offered by DeepLearning and Coursera that would take months/years to complete them all.) Or, would you recommend aspiring engineers and computer science students learn full-stack development and mobile development first and learn AI second?

Please add any other career advice for aspiring engineers / computer science students.

2

As you rightly mentioned, AI is increasingly becoming a part of the core skill set in many industries. Reports like the Coursera WEF Future of Jobs Report 2023 and the Indeed Future of Work Report 2024 consistently highlight the growing demand for AI skills across various sectors.

Here’s how I see it:

  1. Foundational Skills: Before diving deep into AI, it’s essential to have a strong foundation in programming, data structures, algorithms, and software engineering principles. Full-stack development and mobile development provide a solid grounding in these areas and offer practical, hands-on experience with building and deploying applications. These skills can serve as a strong base for learning AI.

  2. AI as a Specialization: Once you’ve built a strong foundation in software engineering, moving on to AI will be more manageable and meaningful. Understanding AI concepts like machine learning, deep learning, and data science requires a good grasp of mathematics, statistics, and programming, which are built on foundational skills.

  3. Hybrid Approach: While focusing on full-stack or mobile development, students can concurrently take introductory AI courses to build a working knowledge of AI. This allows them to see how AI can be integrated into various applications and gives them a broader perspective on how different technologies can work together.

  4. Career Flexibility: Having expertise in full-stack or mobile development alongside AI knowledge makes you more versatile in the job market. You could work as a software engineer, a data scientist, or even in roles that combine both. The key is to remain adaptable and open to learning new technologies as the industry evolves.

  5. Stay Informed: Technology is constantly evolving. Aspiring engineers should keep themselves informed about industry trends and emerging technologies. Joining communities, attending workshops, and staying active on platforms like Coursera and DeepLearning.AI can provide continuous learning opportunities and keep skills relevant.

I hope this helps even a little.

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