“From the moment I first switched on a computer (when I was still a very young child), I knew that I wanted to be a part of the complex technology of computer-coding and processing that forms an integral part of our everyday lives,” says Aselmo Mathebula.

I must admit, this work can be highly stressful at times, especially when things don’t work out as they should. I remember one of my first hands-on jobs … I was given the task of maintaining a website and I messed up! I was terrified at first, but as soon as I had made the effort, and succeeded in amending the error I felt a deep sense of accomplishment – this gave me the confidence to continue with my choice of career.”

Basics

“A Java Developer (also known as a J2EE Developer) can expect to earn an entry-level salary of between R12 000 and R20 000 per month. More experienced developers can earn over R500 per hour. A plus point in this career is that it can be very high-paying!”

Job description

“A Java Developer basically configures computer-application server environments, debugging programmes (finding computer bugs), coding or developing new computer programmes, and maintaining existing ones.”

Required studies and experience

“There are many institutions that offer computer programming courses. This field is diverse and there are many programming languages that one can choose to study. Other than Java, there are also programming languages such as C++, C#, Net Visual Basics, and so forth. It would be wise to start off your studies with more than one programming language (short courses for beginners), so that you can gain a more comprehensive understanding of each language, and then you can make an informed decision on your preferred language of specialisation. I personally chose the Java programming language because of its many advantages over other languages, such as portability, platform independence, security, and its object-oriented nature. I love working with Java. Once you have decided on which programming language you prefer, you can go on to study towards a more specialised qualification.”

“Computer literacy is obviously very important if you want to enter this field of work, but you will also need to be able to think logically and have an excellent problem-solving ability to complement the intense training. The ability to work with others is also important, because coding is often done as teamwork.”

Personality types

“You need a positive attitude, the willingness to work hard and strong self-discipline.

Many developers, mainly those with extensive working experience, find it very tempting to “job-hop” from one company to another for the main reason of earning more money. But I feel that beginners in the field, who prefer flexibility with jobs, should rather look at contract positions instead of permanent jobs. This, of course, is a subjective point of view, but I firmly believe that, in order to develop a reputation of loyalty, reliability and integrity, it is important to spend some time with one employer and learn the ropes extensively before looking at other opportunities for advancement.”

An average day

“Many hours of the day are spent coding, debugging, documenting or maintaining existing programmes, or developing new ones. If a new project is being developed, it can get really hectic. I always want to get things done as fast and as accurately as possible; I therefore spend many long hours and sleepless nights working hard to achieve positive and successful results. Lots of reading and research is also an important part of a developer’s daily routine, because it is essential to keep up to date with the continually changing aspects of this technology.”

The best thing about the job

“I enjoy the fact that I am a part of solving so many problems using cutting-edge technology. I also find it fascinating that we have machinery that can be given instructions to perform tasks and, amazingly, these machines carry out the tasks much faster than a human would ever be able to! It still intrigues me! The other upside to the job is obviously the potential high earnings in the computer-programming field.”

The worst thing about the job

“There is no room for mistakes in computer programming. If a computer programmer makes a mistake, either the programme won’t function at all or, if it does function, the risk of failure during operation could be highly costly. As an example: if the project is a critical one – say in the financial sector – millions of money could be lost in seconds if the computer programme fails. Therefore, this job requires 100% accuracy – it’s not always that easy!”

“Although this job can be hard, it’s worth it. There is nothing better than having a job doing what you love to do – I get an enormous feeling of satisfaction at the end of every working day. Although I do have experience behind me, I feel that there are still infinite opportunities out there for me to learn and grow in the field of Java Development. I look forward to it and I welcome any challenges that come my way.” 

Chantelle Gradidge