# ACS assessment - software engineer or developer programmer



## devandroid (Nov 5, 2012)

I am going to apply for the ACS skill assessment and got confused as to *which ANZSCO* I should apply for.
I am currently working as a* software engineer* and have 3 years of experience as a software engineer, but the problem is my qualification. 
I have completed *British Computer Society Professional Graduate Diploma* which is equivalent to a degree, but I do not have done some of the subjects that are mentioned in the 'ANZSCO Code Descriptions' document as 'Example of units undertaken in higher education qualifications'. for example, System Software and Compiler Theory. Has anyone else come across such a situation? will fail the assessment if I apply for software engineer? Please help....


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## espresso (Nov 2, 2012)

Dear devandroid, 

I think you should have fairly good chances since BCS and ACS have signed the *Seoul Accord* to mutually recognize academic computing programs. I'm not familiar with your particular diploma, but I think it should be alright. If in doubt, contact BCS.

Don't fret too much. Curricula do not match exactly, not even between universities - otherwise it would be pretty dull, wouldn't it? Some _Software Engineering_ programs focus more on formal and mathematical foundations, others offer_ Cloud Computing_ or _Artificial Intelligence_... if 90% of the courses match you should be fine, imho. 

Cheerio, 
Monika


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## devandroid (Nov 5, 2012)

Thanks a lot for the quick reply Monika


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## hawaiisurf (Jan 17, 2013)

hi devandroid
i am applying for ACS. confused about the anzsco code.
my education is bachelors of degree in Engineering in Computers and masters in biomedical engineering. have 5 years experience in IT. should i apply as software engineer or developer programmer? 

also if i apply as software engr and i am under qualified will ACS suggest me to apply for developer programmer ? did any one face such issue?


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## joluwarrior (May 8, 2012)

hawaiisurf said:


> hi devandroid
> i am applying for ACS. confused about the anzsco code.
> my education is bachelors of degree in Engineering in Computers and masters in biomedical engineering. have 5 years experience in IT. should i apply as software engineer or developer programmer?
> 
> also if i apply as software engr and i am under qualified will ACS suggest me to apply for developer programmer ? did any one face such issue?


Jot down your roles and responsibilities at work. Then try to find a close fit by matching with the sample job roles of the job codes you planning to nominate. Sample job roles can be found here --> http://www.acs.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/7641/ANZSCO-Code-Descriptions-1-July-2012-V2.pdf

The kind of roles you have performed in your career in IT would eventually slide the balance in favor of a nominated job code. Qualification has mostly a check of relevance to the career pursued by you i.e. whether the qualification has sufficient coverage of ICT content. Hence, your Bachelors (Engg.) in Computers would be apt for either job code you have mentioned.

For your query on undervaluation, let me state here that there is no such case as under or over valuation. ACS checks if the fit between your selected code and work ref. letters is perfect.
As a pointer, I can also tell you that while applying, I had nominated job code as "Software Engineer". But after the assessor evaluated my work ref. letters, he/she found it more closely related to the job code "Developer Programmer". Advised me to change the code, I did so and the next day, I recd. a positive skills assessment under the job code "Developer Programmer".


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## hawaiisurf (Jan 17, 2013)

thank you jolu warrior. gud luck with your application.


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## joluwarrior (May 8, 2012)

hawaiisurf said:


> thank you jolu warrior. gud luck with your application.


Thanks.
Wish you the same for your assessment


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## hawaiisurf (Jan 17, 2013)

joluwarrior said:


> Thanks.
> Wish you the same for your assessment


I was able to finally apply to ACS over the weekend and opted for S/W Engineer. 
Btw are we required to mail the documents to the ACS, because I did not get any such message, but I noticed that a lot of members in this forum mailed their documents directly to ACS after submitting online.

Quick Q....how long did it take for your ACS assessment ? And were your references contacted by ACS ? Or is it DIAC who contacts our references after the assessment?


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## devandroid (Nov 5, 2012)

hawaiisurf said:


> I was able to finally apply to ACS over the weekend and opted for S/W Engineer.
> Btw are we required to mail the documents to the ACS, because I did not get any such message, but I noticed that a lot of members in this forum mailed their documents directly to ACS after submitting online.
> 
> Quick Q....how long did it take for your ACS assessment ? And were your references contacted by ACS ? Or is it DIAC who contacts our references after the assessment?


Hi hawaiisurf,

You need to upload certified true copies of your Education qualifications with transcript, and work reference letter with your roles and responsibilities in PDF format to ACS. You don't need to mail them; you can logging to ACS and upload those documents. 
Not sure whether ACS have contact our references, but DIAC have right to contact them.
It took one month for me to get my ACS assessment and they haven’t contact me 

Thanks


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## hawaiisurf (Jan 17, 2013)

devandroid said:


> Hi hawaiisurf,
> 
> You need to upload certified true copies of your Education qualifications with transcript, and work reference letter with your roles and responsibilities in PDF format to ACS. You don't need to mail them; you can logging to ACS and upload those documents.
> Not sure whether ACS have contact our references, but DIAC have right to contact them.
> ...


Oh Ok. Thank you and gud luck with the CO.


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## rperera (Feb 24, 2017)

joluwarrior said:


> As a pointer, I can also tell you that while applying, I had nominated job code as "Software Engineer". But after the assessor evaluated my work ref. letters, he/she found it more closely related to the job code "Developer Programmer". Advised me to change the code, I did so and the next day, I recd. a positive skills assessment under the job code "Developer Programmer".


You mean that an Assessor from ACS contacted you?


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