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This is employer-centric in my opinion - sure you're not paid to write code, and sure you can reuse existing code base in new and exciting ways. But - there's
by binalpatel 10y ago
This is employer-centric in my opinion - sure you're not paid to write code, and sure you can reuse existing code base in new and exciting ways.
But - there's also value in learning new things, in new skills, in new toolsets. Maybe it's not best for the employer, but for you the employee it can help quite a bit.
There's a fine balance - ideally your employer encourages you to learn things on the job, and to try new things that may not necessarily make it to production, but improve your skillset overall.
- drvdevd 10y agoThat's an interesting take. I think it's important to also remember there's a fine line in breadth vs depth learning in this field as well. So called 'Taco Bell' programming does encourage you, in a way, to learn the basic tools in greater depth than perhaps you would if you weren't forced to.
- binalpatel 10y agoI completely agree on that - it's exactly like math, the only way to truly learn it is to practice, over and over again, until you've mastered the concept. This is something I'm coming to terms with in my career right now (~3 years in) - do I learn something to a mastery level, even if it's not the most marketable thing, or do I focus on breadth first and shoot for depth later.
- humanrebar 10y agoAgreed. Employees are investors. They invest their time and future technical direction. Making sure those investors get an acceptable return on their investment is just good business. Encouraging side projects, mentoring, and growth is a way to improve the returns on the investment employees make in their employers and their customers.