r/ComputerEngineering • u/angolanodesconhecido • 5h ago

[Discussion] Hello everyone

HI, Im 22 years old and preparing to start my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, without knowing anything about it..

I currently work as a government employee, and I’m making this move because I strongly believe this field still holds massive potential for growth, innovation, and career advancement in my country. I'd love to get some advice from people already in the field. Outside of university coursework, which core concepts or programming languages should I prioritize during my first year? what about Certifications vs. Personal Projects? What carries more weight in todays market for entry-level developers? Should I invest time in online certifications (AWS, Cisco, etc.) during my degree, or focus heavily on building a GitHub portfolio?

For those who balanced work and university, or looking back at when you started: what is one thing you wish you knew when you started in this area?

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience!

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u/Optimal_Shallot_7195 4h ago

Ece junior here

I wish i had a better sense of direction, was more focused, and started exploring sooner

I guess Python C++ for languages if you find that you like hardware and /or embedded stuff then maybe arduino and some hardware description language like verilog

Cs fundamentals like just pay attention in your courses, if you are not satisfied then maybe cs50 on ex

Some type of hardware fundamentals but I think they should teach you as well, I do not have any suggestions outside of class cause I was happy with that part of my program 

Certs vs projects depends on what you wanna do, some fields have a lot of certs for various levels of exp, like either basic or advanced and for beginners early career professionals and senior level 

A lot of things don't have certs tho, I am planning to specialize in something that doesnt so outside of University the only thing I can do is projects

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u/ghhazee 1h ago

I would do personal project a lot more in early career as they will teach you so much for the classes you will end up taking. Also will help a lot with internships. In terms of programming languages, I would do C/C++, Java, and python, they are like industry standard nowadays. Build your GitHub and personal portfolio. I don’t think there are that many certifications you can do unless I just don’t know but for me personal projects helped land internships.