[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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