UNIVERSITY College Dublin is offering courses in the Java programming language for just €45 in a move to help unemployed IT professionals to improve their skills.
Java is one of the most widely used computer languages. UCD said it hoped to attract unemployed software developers from other programming disciplines to attend the courses, which would normally cost €995 each.
The courses consist of two week-long full-time modules; the first on the foundations of Java and the second on advanced Java.
UCD recommends that applicants attend both courses, after which they would be equipped to sit an exam to become independently certified Java programmers.
Crovan, a UCD campus company, developed the courses specifically so that they could be delivered within the week-long timeframe.
“We’re giving people a skill that will help them immediately,” said Prof John Murphy from the UCD school of computer science and informatics. Prof Murphy said the courses could cater for up to 100 people.
“We’ve been looking at a number of initiatives, particularly this year, at how to help the national recovery plan,” he continued.
“This one is specifically aimed at programmers, who might be unemployed or about to be laid off, to be retrained in Java, which is a modern, progressive computer language.”
Prof Murphy said there may be people who had been made redundant who could use Java skills to set up their own business.
“Java is very tied up with a lot of the web and new types of mobile application development.”
Alternatively, the course could help programmers find work at other companies, said Prof Murphy.
“There are people hiring and the prospects are still, I would say, quite good for computer programmers.”
Patricia Lynch, principal consultant with recruitment firm CPL, said: “There is always a demand for good Java skills.”
Such is the demand that the firm has a team of staff aimed specifically at sourcing Java engineers.
Ms Lynch added that a recognised qualification would be an asset in seeking employment in the IT sector.
“Having a cert will always help you when looking for a job. Employers like to see that candidates are continuously updating their skills.”
