Learning skills outside of college to advance career

[Elite Engineer]

I majored in biotech and do research on diagnostic kits for infectious diseases. Say I "teach" myself programming and even become certified in R or some kind of

programming language involved in data science/ bioinformatics. Would industry knowledge (working in biotech 1-5 years) plus moderate knowledge of programming allow someone like myself to move into bioinformatics and/or genetics?

 

Just trying to build up my assets without going back to school and majoring in another program.

 

Thoughts appreciated.

 

~EE

[Mordred]

While not knowing the required skills for those two fields. I would think that the ability to program models, spreadsheets, databases etc is handy in any field involving these activities.

 

Modelling all complex systems gain from the computer age. I can't see why biological systems would be an exception.

[KipIngram]

I think it would depend very much on whether you had opportunities to demonstrate those new skills prior to the overt focus change. I think companies will acknowledge self-education, if you can prove it to them. If you had to get the new gig before being able to show you could do it, you might face an uphill climb. But if you can mount some sort of transition it would probably go well.

[Mordred]

I would also review the course curriculum to get a better handle on the required skill sets.

 

https://genetics.natsci.msu.edu/curriculum/

 

One from the specific university where the course is offered ideally but you can get a picture of what is required to understand prior to taking the course itself from the curriculum.

 

I did this prior to going to university for my field and was able to prestudy before taking the course.

[Elite Engineer]

I would also review the course curriculum to get a better handle on the required skill sets.

 

https://genetics.natsci.msu.edu/curriculum/

 

One from the specific university where the course is offered ideally but you can get a picture of what is required to understand prior to taking the course itself from the curriculum.

 

I did this prior to going to university for my field and was able to prestudy before taking the course.

Ya I thought about this. I was hoping to get enough self taught knowledge (over 1-2 years) to get a good handle that was similar to uni courses. My university offers a bioinformatics degree. Such subjects in the major are: data structures, discrete structures, numerical analysis, linear algebra, calc III and probability.

 

I have have friends that can program, that never went to school for it. I figured, I could teach myself, as i already know the rigorous biotech side...knowing programming and comp sci would give me an edge.

[Mordred]

Fair enough. Programming itself isn't too difficult to learn most program languages you really only need 20 to 30 commands and instructions.

 

The trick comes from applying those few instructions in application. Learning how to break complex problems into managable smaller problems is always a handy skill.

 

I myself have learned over 20 different program languages. Once you learn one language and the techniques. Picking up new languages becomes as easy as learning the new instruction set.

 

flow charts and truth tables are applicable in all lanquages (helps reduce those complex problems).

 

I would focus on one language to start. Master the techniques. Then new lanquages are as easy as having a copy of the appropriate instruction set.

 

(just a side note, I found the techniques used in programming incredibly handy to understand incredibly complex physics related topics).

 

Complex problems reduced to their individual simple problems. So any field of study can gain from learning programming and flow charts.

 

Whether or not it is recognized for career advancement aside. The skills learned is never wasted.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Mordred

[CharonY]

I think the issue here is that OP is asking for a career, but genetics/bioinformatics are just disciplines. And unless OP wants to get into academic research the real question would be whether R skill in addition to.. well 1 or 5? Years experience as [insert job description here] would make him competitive for certain jobs. Companies generally do use background discipline to ensure that your basic knowledge can be applied to whatever specific opening they have.

One thing is that R is more of a statistical package. While versatile, I am not sure how popular it is in companies (which tend to go more for enterprise solutions) and it does not translate to actual coding that well (if a job requires it). What I am saying is that if you look for an industrial job, you have to look at job descriptions and identify the required (specific) skill sets, not the rough area/disciplines.

 

Edit: more importantly are the 5 years you have in an industrial position. What people want to know is less about the field/discipline, but what role you fulfilled and how well you did. Standard examples include e.g. familiarity with certain industrial standards, understanding the environment and need of a given company (and demonstrate willingness and ability to fulfill those) and so on. Usually these applications are seen stronger than having X courses in a related field. To emphasize, it is about demonstrating a fit for the position and not just listing things you may have learned.

Edited May 18, 2017 by CharonY

[Elite Engineer]

I think the issue here is that OP is asking for a career, but genetics/bioinformatics are just disciplines. And unless OP wants to get into academic research the real question would be whether R skill in addition to.. well 1 or 5? Years experience as [insert job description here] would make him competitive for certain jobs. Companies generally do use background discipline to ensure that your basic knowledge can be applied to whatever specific opening they have.

One thing is that R is more of a statistical package. While versatile, I am not sure how popular it is in companies (which tend to go more for enterprise solutions) and it does not translate to actual coding that well (if a job requires it). What I am saying is that if you look for an industrial job, you have to look at job descriptions and identify the required (specific) skill sets, not the rough area/disciplines.

 

Edit: more importantly are the 5 years you have in an industrial position. What people want to know is less about the field/discipline, but what role you fulfilled and how well you did. Standard examples include e.g. familiarity with certain industrial standards, understanding the environment and need of a given company (and demonstrate willingness and ability to fulfill those) and so on. Usually these applications are seen stronger than having X courses in a related field. To emphasize, it is about demonstrating a fit for the position and not just listing things you may have learned.

Well, I'm afraid that the skills I'm honing right now are not the career I want to be in. I'm in a position with a low amount of research, with an objective of tweaking a 20 yr old product to pass FDA regulations, and keep our customers interested. I don't want to make slightly more efficient steam engine, I want to make a diesel engine.

 

My appeal to learning intermediate programming and statistical software like R is based on job security and interest in new fields. Careers like mine dealing mostly with fundamental protein chemistry will be less and less in time. From what research and people have told me, it's best to supplement industry knowledge (2-5 years) with comp sci and programming..as that's where the jobs will be in the near future.

 

 

 

If you have 7 years of exp. in protein chemistry..sure you know the general research process, and manufacturing understanding,.but that's not much on an edge with an increasing computational workforce. However you take that 7 years of industry and supplement an understanding of statistics and intermediate programming, you'll be a far better asset.

Edited May 19, 2017 by Elite Engineer

[CharonY]

The thing is, in companies the positions are usually quite well defined and it is rare to have something that is a vague research position. Have you looked at jobs that you are interested in at do they really state that use of statistical packages are desired? Typically the latter is again a rather specialized skill set and people looking for a statistician are typically not that interested in somehow with lab experience. Take a look at job advertisements and I would discourage you from trying to guess what people might hire in a few year's time. In fast moving fields one is wrong more often than not.

 

On another note, I do not think that there are that many research position at a Master's level. More typically your role will be to execute tasks assigned to you. If you want to move in that direction, it would be a good idea to start in a company that at some point may be interested in sponsoring you to get one.

[Elite Engineer]

. Take a look at job advertisements and I would discourage you from trying to guess what people might hire in a few year's time. In fast moving fields one is wrong more often than not.

 

 

Thank you, this has helped me very much! I believe I was jumping the gun or getting over-worried!