Brajeshwar

Photo by Mark Wathieu

Open Source … err Open Course!

Looking down the years, technology consistently has helped change the way we program devices. It is of common knowledge to one and all that without technology and perhaps the Internet, earning a college degree may seem quite tough today, if not impossible. It is not just about perception, because if it would have been that way, I would acknowledge a student of a demigod status if s/he would have passed a course without the use of Internet.

We have published a lot of articles on open source realm with an inclination towards Linux and free software, primarily keeping in mind the college students and the to-be engineers of the world.

A lot of research has proved the fact that technology usage has increased leaps and bounds. It certainly provides a jumping off point for an investigation into how students use information technology in college and how it can be harnessed to improve the learning experience.

One may not agree to the changes in the technology being revolutionary, but it is the proponents of the technology who make “evolutionary” gains by utilizing the technology and making it a part of their lives. As new method of interacting with information become more ubiquitous, students will grow up with different expectations and preferences for acquiring knowledge and skills. The implication is less of an emphasis on the “sage on the stage” and a linear acquisition process focusing on a “single best source,” focusing on “active learning” that comes from synthesizing information from multiple types of media.

But, the problem lies somewhere smartly hiding itself and making us unable to understand the root cause when it comes to implementations in the macro environment. Graduates are finding it difficult to enter the IT world as freshers and thus finding themselves in a catch22 situation.

So, the question is, what do we do?

This perhaps may be one of the solutions:

The key to being successful in the IT industry is interning while still attending college and taking some certification courses after graduation. Do some research. Find an open source technology company that will provide you with the tools and resources you will need to build your career. Open source spans platforms, middleware and applications from data centers to desktops. Get plugged into companies that offer internship programs and certification courses.

Two of the key contributors to Linux and Open Source are Google and Red Hat ( I am deliberately ignoring others!). Google reports, each time you use the Google search engine, you are using open source software, which relies on the Linux kernel, GCC, Python and Samba, and commits code into each of those projects. Google maintains a healthy relationship with the open source software development community by releasing Google-created code, providing vital infrastructure, and by creating new open source software developers through programs such as the Google Summer of Code. Red Hat offers a summer intern program and certification courses for undergraduates, graduates, and candidates who hold a master’s degree in business administration.

Google and Red Hat are just a few of many organizations that offer open source opportunities to students. So take that first step - do some research, get involved with the open source community, find a sponsor, and dive into a potentially lucrative and successful IT career.

Praval, the author of this article is a freelance writer/blogger and evangelist. He writes reviews and stuff related to Cloud computing, Office 2.0, Startup ecosystem, Wordpress, Linux, Open Source Software, Life hacks and technology in general. You may reach him at Praval.com