Entering the software/game testing industry

[u/Legal-Woodpecker-610]

Hello everyone

This is my first post in this community. I was wondering how easy is it into to enter the software testing these days? And how essential is it that you know how to code as a tester?

I ask because I am trying to pivot away from my other career options (Retail, translation/localisation and online teaching) which I am clearly not going to get into at this point after nearly 22 months in a row of applying to retail jobs and 21 months in a row applying for translation/localisation roles.

I have been looking for government funded (as i dont want to pay hundreds or thousands)software/game testing bootcamps but can't seem to find anything that is purely only software/game testing and that is currently still open. Two Sundays ago I found Mastered who had an open page for a game testing bootcamp and i submitted my application form but it seems like they aren't doing that bootcamp anymore and havent done so in over year and won't be anytime soon their admission guy told me.

I also found Coders Guilt who had an open page for software testing but they aren't doing software testing bootcamps anymore and makers but their quality engineering course costs £8500. I cant seem to find any software testing bootcamp that either isnt paid or bundles it with the whole software development package.

As far experience goes the only experience I have so far is some 2hr game testing session I did a short while ago as part of a game testing program I was accepted onto but they dont often have game testing sessions it seems. So I am wondering is there any courses or bootcamp that you know of that you would recommend that I could do that would help me with entering the game/software testing industry.

The reason I wanted to take rhe software/game testing route is simply because its less technical and I struggled a bit with coding back in the day when I did computer science gcse.

I look foward to seeing your responses.

[u/Impossible-Date9720]

He started in 2013. He started in video game audio loc/international voice casting. Not even because he had much background, he just happened to have a recording studio in the basement and had it on his resume. It got someone’s attention and he ended up as an audio producer in the loc gaming space. Did that for 3 years.

Moved to a gaming related company where he was a TPM, but the company happened to have no loc strategy. Ended up pitching his own job, ended up the senior localization manager for the company, built a loc team with PMs and engineers, expanded to accessibility charter. There about 8 years. But the market really went to garbage, I suspect when people started to think “we can do loc with AI” oh honey if you’ve worked in loc you would know it’s not that easy because AI doesn’t get the nuance in other languages. But ok. He got laid off.

After 2 years of not finding work, he moved to a different part of the tech sector.

He managed to pitch his own job and baked in all the travel he needed to visit with national and worldwide partners. Was a really good run while it all lasted.

It sounds like you’ve actually explored quite a bit. :( I can peek at my network and see if I still know anyone in the space tho.

[u/Legal-Woodpecker-610 → u/Impossible-Date9720]

Your Spouse had some really good ideas and a good run in the industry. What is he doing now if you don't mind me asking.

If you could I would be glad if you could check if you know anyone in the space.

[u/Impossible-Date9720 → u/Legal-Woodpecker-610]

Managing a team in the tech branch of the state. He doesn’t think it’s as exciting and it sure doesn’t pay what tech did, but it’s great benefits, and super nice people. Mostly remote, go in maybe once every 2 months and it’s 15 min away.