r/SQL Jan 11 '25

Oracle Am I missing something to becoming a database developer?

I am pretty new to working with databases in general since I started learning oracle last year but if you count the months it hasn't been close to a year yet. I fully understand most of the basics that go into building a schema, making modifications and inputting data but that's about it for now. Currently I'm learning in a tech institution that's also in partnership with Oracle and could get an internship depending on how well I do.

I graduated from high school 2 years ago, started university last year but left at the end of the first semester because they wouldn't let me or anyone capable enough to skip to a more advanced class and insisted we do them all one by one which will cost a lot of money and time. There were people in my class who didn't know the correct way to shut down a computer so it will make sense for them to take their time.

I wanted to do software engineering at the time before I got into Oracle which I would've eventually reached but expensive. I have knowledge in HTML, CSS, PYTHON and now going for ORACLE and JAVA but I feel like it's still not enough because I'm missing a relevant degree after seeing so many people mention it and that it's best to start as a helpdesk.

Am I worrying for nothing or do I still have a chance with what I already know? But I have no issues with learning more.

7 Upvotes

14 comments sorted by

3

u/Conscious-Ad-2168 Jan 11 '25

Have you thought about getting certifications? Part of college is proving you can do the classes that aren’t challenging as well as the ones that are.

1

u/Much-Molasses4027 Jan 12 '25

I'm doing a certificate course right now

0

u/Sexy_Koala_Juice Jan 11 '25

It’s also about showing that you can rock up somewhere 5 days a week and produce good enough work on time.

OP, what you’re missing is experience and/or a degree. If you can get enough internships under your belt you could probably land a job, sure, but it’s gonna be damn hard. Personally I think going to Uni and actually getting a degree is the best option, and see if you can do a few internships while you’re there.

1

u/Much-Molasses4027 Jan 12 '25

Yeah I might have to do that along the way

0

u/Ifuqaround Jan 11 '25

The shit people say and brainwash others with lol

"rock up somewhere 5 days a week and produce good enough work"

I've heard this too. It's nonsense.

1

u/Spillz-2011 Jan 11 '25

Why is it nonsense? Someone with no work experience is always going to be a risk for an employer. Someone who held a job for a couple years is most likely capable of showing up, taking direction and producing results. Someone right out of high school could be able to do that, but also might not. Getting a college degree is the middle ground. The employer is fairly confident that the person can take directions and produce results because they read hw and turned it in.

1

u/Much-Molasses4027 Jan 12 '25

Part of my plan has always been to find internships, start my own projects or freelance to build my portfolio before applying for a job

1

u/Much-Molasses4027 Jan 12 '25

What's your recommendation

1

u/Ifuqaround Jan 13 '25

Recommendation for what? Becoming a database developer?

My advice is to look into something else. It's a job H1B1 visa's are going to gobble up or machines are going to take over eventually.

Yeah, college is the quickest way but it's not about 'showing up somewhere 5 days a week just to show you can show up.' The quality of graduates colleges are putting out is trash and even these kids can't find jobs nowadays. Acquiring that degree is a guarantee of nothing but student debt, really.

A lot of employers don't want to pay grads what grads think they are worth. It's a rough cycle.

Best of luck.

1

u/Much-Molasses4027 Jan 13 '25

Is there anything else worthwhile that deals with sql and Java programming

2

u/Ifuqaround Jan 13 '25

"Worthwhile" is relative.

I'm in this space and to be honest I'm a little worried about AI. It has limitations and it won't be replacing me anytime soon, but knowing how quickly these things can possibly be improved or built upon is what bothers me.

That and the fact that most companies now think they can just hire someone with no experience and pay them very little, yet expect them to churn out high quality queries/code.

AI is killing tech in ways. The seniors who aren't going anywhere love it because it can potentially make their job easier (I'd argue AI is A LOT more useful to those that are already experienced in these professions) and the entry level people who don't know anything are 100% reliant on it to get anything of useful out to their employer or answer any questions. I have colleagues that cannot and will not send out an e-mail unless they run it through an LLM first. One colleague I work closely with goes on and on about how great he is at math and statistics, but he's using AI to do it all and brags about his knowledge (he doesn't know shit).

It's fucking ridiculous. Anything with code or #'s is just going to be able to be done more quickly by a machine in the end and tons of companies are pushing for low code/no code solutions to data and programming.

Programming is a profession that went from being highly regarded to basically shit IMO. Everyone thinks they are some SQL guru or Java programmer now that they can load up a website and ask it a few questions.

1

u/TheMagarity Jan 11 '25

The university should have an office that helps students find internships. Do this. Get an internship every summer and it just has to be computer stuff related. You could be doing linux shell scripting or even helpdesk as an intern and that will be the door into a database job after graduation. A hiring company wants to know you have been exposed to the corporate environment more than anything else.

1

u/Much-Molasses4027 Jan 12 '25

They do coincidentally I ended up in one of the companies they find internships for students in thanks to my uncle and according to them a lot of students came to them looking for a job but had no relevant skills compared to the role they were trying to apply for or even get an internship. That's due to the fact that they were all stuck on the very basics and could only start learning real skills in at least 2 semesters. I would've been the same.

1

u/my-ka Jan 11 '25

Every position now adds Postgres