Why You Should Not Take A Part-Time University Tech Course as a Way to Break Into Tech

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Do you find yourself tempted to take a part-time university course?

They look great on the surface. You keep the financial benefits of a full-time job while attempting a career change.

But before you sign up for a six-year course, here’s what you need to consider.

Balancing coursework and a full-time job is challenging

People who work a full-time job and study for a part-time degree are setting themselves up for failure.

Now I am not saying it’s impossible. But it is challenging to keep up with the demands of a full-time job, learning and completing coursework on the side.

Tech degrees are not the same as many other university degrees. With most degrees, you get some coursework throughout the year, followed by an intense exam season.

I am not saying other degrees are easier. They can be just as difficult. But they often have moments of calm, where the workload chills out for a month because the exams replace the continuous coursework you face in tech degrees.

Most tech degrees are demanding for the whole university year. They require you to complete big projects as part of your assignments, such as:

• Websites
• Games
• Programs

And unlike a written essay, which reaches a distinctive end. Tech projects such as websites always have improvements. So you end up spending months perfecting them.

You cannot make a good website by pulling an all-nighter like you can with some written-based assignments. Making a good tech project takes time.

Taking on a part-time university degree while working a full-time job will lead to burnout.

It’s difficult to stay motivated in a career change that lasts 6 years

A part-time university course lasts six years.

That’s six years of balancing a job and university. Six years of staying in an industry you’re trying to escape. Six years of intense studying to get the best grades.

Speaking from experience, doing a tech degree is tough and mentally exhausting.

It’s challenging to stay motivated for a career change for six years, especially when you cannot see the benefits until you get your first tech job.

While making a career change, the goal should be soon. Three years is doable, but six years is far away.

There are many ways to do a career change in tech, but please avoid a career change into tech, which involves a six-year university course.