I am studying Java but I want to gain Java experience as well

[Mohammed Yusuf Essa]

Hi

I am working as a Technical Sales/ Services person for an international technology company (not sure if I can take names). I joined as a graduate 2 years ago. My dream is to be Java development but there is no development done by this company is South Africa. So on my own I have been studying Java and furthering my knowledge on my own in my spare time. However, my question is how do I gather formal experience? I want to do some freelance work so I can gather experience in the real world. Any suggestions are welcome because I really can't find my way in getting experience and if this continues I will not be able to get into Java development and will be stuck in Technical Sales forever.

[Akhilesh Trivedi]

Welcome to JavaRanch Yusuf ! !!

You could probably, post this here.

Anyways few questions,

Why did you get into Technical sales line when your interest was in programming/development ? realized it late?

Mohammed Yusuf Essa wrote:
I joined as a graduate 2 years ago.

You graduated in commerce or engineering or..?

Mohammed Yusuf Essa wrote: how do I gather formal experience? I want to do some freelance work

No, after reading your current experience I doubt if you can have that 'specific' choice be immediately available to you. Initially, you may have to say a waiting 'mmmmm... ok!' to some offers, before you can actually get where you want? But do you really know where exactly you want to go/be? Are you firm on it? I may be wrong but surviving as a freelancer is not that easy.

Mohammed Yusuf Essa wrote:if this continues I will not be able to get into Java development and will be stuck in Technical Sales

Again, you don't like sales or you like development? Think again, is there any anywhere a chance that you may not be paid enough for what you are doing and is it that frustrating feeling which is framing a general complex/notion that development guys/folks earn better than those from sales! !!

[Akhilesh Trivedi]

You may try considering a certification.

[Brian Burress]

Assuming you have been learning the java basics, consider either volunteering with an organization near you to do some development work or find an open source project that interests you or at least one that your understand and become a contributor to it. Either way you 'give' your time away in exchange for getting some experience. If you are lucky, you might even impress someone enough to provide a reference for you when you find a dev job to which you can apply.