[Melbourne-pm] Floating an idea for 'summer switch camp'

Rick Measham rick at measham.id.au
Fri Oct 19 15:06:44 PDT 2007


We got to talking yesterday about the number of perl jobs that seem to 
pop up over and over. I know there are a few perl shops around town that 
seem to struggle to find coders to fill their books and I know how hard 
it can be even if you just need one.

So, how's this sound?

Melbourne's perl shops get together (it's too late for this year) and 
sponsor a fortnight-long 'summer switch camp' for programmers to learn 
perl. The event is totally free to participants (though if they're from 
out of town they'd need to organize their own accommodation and food)

To get one of the (coveted) positions, you'd have to submit your 
application along with your resume. We want programmers here who can 
switch to perl, not people who'd like to get into programming. Then the 
sponsors would go over the application and see who looked like the most 
likely to benefit. Pick the top (15? 20? 40?) and invite them along.

The first day or two would be general perl overview. Then I figure a day 
where the participants choose their most comfortable 'other' language 
and split into workshops where we talk specifically to switchers from 
those languages.

Now we have everyone with at least the perl fundamentals. The next 3-4 
days are covering off perl to the point where you could read most (non 
obfu) scripts and write a fair bit. "Learning Perl" level maybe.

Then you hit them with perl's secret weapon, CPAN. An overview of OO in 
perl. Then a day of coding some 'quiz' tasks and reviewing them. The 
final day is then a 'trade day' where they get to sit down with any of 
the sponsors and chat about how the sponsors use perl and the sorts of 
opportunities that may be available.

So, what do you think? Sound feasible? Sound like something the local 
perl shops would be into? Something that would find an audience with 
other language programmers? Would an intensive fortnight be enough to 
switch people?

Cheers!
Rick Measham

NOTE: This has nothing to do with my current place-of-trade. Just 
something a couple of us were talking about privately. My place-of-trade 
may or may not be interested, I haven't taken it to them

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