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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Aibu to worry about Coding?

56 replies

TheoneandObi · 08/07/2019 10:41

DS is a Cambridge English grad, working in an ok-ish first grad job. He hates it though. It’s boring, he says, and he doesn’t really see a a future in it for him. He wants to quit and do a course in coding. He’s researched a couple of costly but well regarded courses. But. I’m worried. He did well at maths at school but deliberately swerved away from it at A level. Surely he’ll get eaten fir breakfast? And what jobs would it lead to?
I know I shouldn’t be worrying about a 22 yo. But I don’t want him to make a huge mistake.
He seems to have a bee in his bonnet about having a job which actually makes something

OP posts:

ThistleDownHair · 08/07/2019 10:44

The technologies are the fastest growing job sector in Scotland. Lots of jobs out there in a variety of fields. There’s lots of free online courses in coding your DS can try out before committing to a formal qualification. He’ll not struggle to get work in this field with relevant qualifications.

araiwa · 08/07/2019 10:45

Its probably the industry to be getting involved in, in terms of future careers.

Theres plenty of free online courses he can do to dip his toe in to see if its something he might like

Camomila · 08/07/2019 10:46

DBro took 3 goes to get his Maths GCSE and can code really well.
He says coding is more a 'language' than a maths thing in his head.

MojoMoon · 08/07/2019 10:47

Coding could mean anything from more design driven front end work (ie the app you use or the website functionality) or something much more engineering like (the framework behind the scenes)

Not everything requires super high level maths. I'd suggest he try some free courses on EdX or Coursera first and then do a course. But I had s friend who was an English grad do one of the fairly pricey coding schools and he did just fine at it.

Original poster

TheoneandObi · 08/07/2019 10:49

Ok that’s good bc he’s good at languages! I’d assumed though that coding would be full of technically inclined people who will walk all over my dreamy poet. Arghhh !!! Just when you think they’re settled.

OP posts:

hormonesorDHbeingadick · 08/07/2019 10:50

My husband is a senior software developer and he is doing a PhD in it as a hobby and he choose not to do a level maths but he did do computer science at uni and coding was his hobby before he moving into doing it professionally.

PooWillyBumBum · 08/07/2019 10:54

If he’s bright he will be able to turn his mind to it. I swerved away from maths at a level then realised I’d made a mistake and went back and redid my a levels (I now have 7) and ended studying Chemistry and specialising in Chemical Physics which is all maths. I’ve learnt a couple of coding languages in my spare time and I wouldn’t say it was mathsy - more logic!

Blitheringheights · 08/07/2019 11:08

Also there are loads of jobs in IT that aren’t just coding dependant, but where understanding it would be useful! I am a English grad and have worked as a business process lead.

People who can communicate back to the main business but also the techies are in big demand. Our project director was one such. Great idea for a career.

Original poster

TheoneandObi · 08/07/2019 11:13

Gosh lots of food for thought. DS is speaking to his dad tonight who is really quite against this move. I will suggest a simmered down approach!

OP posts:

BeanBag7 · 08/07/2019 11:21

Coding isn't purely maths. My husband works in coding, he did gcse maths but not A level and doesnt have a degree. It's a skill that can be learned, you dont have to have qualifications in order to learn it. It could be a steep learning curve if he has no experience, but as long as he is sensible in the jobs he applies for (junior roles) then I dont think it would be an issue.

BeanBag7 · 08/07/2019 11:22

Also, he is only 22. This is exactly the time to try out a few things before he has dependents and a mortgage etc. He can try the coding job and if he doesnt get on with it I'm sure he can do something else! It's not an irreversible decision.

sugarbum · 08/07/2019 11:29

You don't have to be good at maths to be good at coding. I was extremely good at maths back in the day. I'm not very good at coding.

However I wanted to stay in IT so I'm now a software tester, which requires me to understand code to a small extent as well as databases and so on, but not to actually write it.

I did a masters in IT and yes it cost a lot (there are presumably still grants out there - I didn't manage to bag one) but it was worth it.

Justgivemesomepeace · 08/07/2019 11:30

Dp is an electronic engineer and uses different types of coding. He keeps saying there are not enough people coming through and his pay rates keep going up to reflect this as they struggle to recruit. Maybe he could look at something like that. I dont understand enough about it to advise any more (or maybe i just switch off). I do believe though that if he is seriously thinking of changing direction, he is young and in a position to do so, then support him. Once he get commitments, as you do as you get older, he'll probably never get the chance again.

Idontwanttotalk · 08/07/2019 11:30

"He seems to have a bee in his bonnet about having a job which actually makes something."
He wants to see an end result to have a sense of achievement. Good for him that he knows what he doesn't want and what he wants.

He hates his boring job and wants to quit and has a good idea of what he wants yet you are worried. Take a step back. Your job is done. Let him make his own life, even his own mistakes if necessary. He needs to do something he enjoys and not consider what you or his father think about his decisions.

Tallgreenbottle · 08/07/2019 11:33

Coding is logic rather than mathmatical. Though it is a growing field it is also going to be one that is probably obsolete by the end of DSs middle age. People are already creating what are essentially 'drag and drop' software that codes for you. Once they have been created and are functional it would only be useful for the maintenance side rather than the design side.

titchy · 08/07/2019 11:35

Is he London based by any chance? He could look at a conversion MSc in Computer Science - PG Loan would cover the costs and if he did and evening or distance version he could continue to work.

Original poster

TheoneandObi · 08/07/2019 11:39

You’re right. He’s also getting married later this year. Not my worry any more! I just like the idea of the Mumsnet hive mind reassuring me. Thanks all x

OP posts:

NCforpoo · 08/07/2019 12:02

Data Analyst here
If he is interested in coding there are a million free courses to do online. And just playing about with free online software will give him an idea if it's something he actually enjoys. Has he tried it before?
It's something you have to enjoy doing
And yes it is mainly logic. In the same way that writing equations is logic.
Most coders enjoy coding and many do it in their free time.
Basically- before committing to a major change/course payment, try the free stuff. They will expect you to be interested already and know a little through playing about.

NCforpoo · 08/07/2019 12:04

And as PP said- yeah it will be obsolete except for those who design programmes in the future (or programs to design programs). The "easy " stuff will be accessible to everyone- the hard-core coders should be fine
But if he hasn't tried it yet I'm not sure he's that... but might be if he falls in love with it

BrightYellowDaffodil · 08/07/2019 12:09

I did a free course in coding through Khan Academy, just because I wanted to see what it actually was. Maybe he could give that a go?

I really enjoyed the logic of it - I did maths at A Level but I didn’t find it particularly useful in coding. Languages are more my thing and I DID find them more applicable - maybe it’s the use of syntax, patterns etc.

Life is too short to do a job you hate unless it’s a case of sitting it out to get to where you really want to be. But rather than just quitting his current job, maybe encourage him to look into coding properly first and get some ideas of where he wants to go with it (more specific than “making something”!) not least because he’ll have a better idea of what sort of coding he needs to learn. I bet a proper plan would help with his dad too.

Sandybval · 08/07/2019 12:15

Some organisations do well paid jobs with the opportunity to obtain qualifications on the job, you usually have a chance to rotate around a few areas as well so it could be more suitable as he can see what he enjoys if he is new to it, and get a decent wage while training.

NCforpoo · 08/07/2019 12:51

Does he have any experience of writing code? Even just using VB in excel? Or making an app?
And what does he want to do with it? Create software? Creating aps? Data analysis? It's all using coding but so varied in interest!

My DB is an engineer. Writes code all day long. I have no idea WTF he's doing!

Olissa8 · 08/07/2019 12:55

My first degree was in music and I now have a techy job (mostly using automation software, some database administration, I have a working knowledge of SQL and I'm learning Python!)
You definitely don't have to be good at maths. I did do A-level but I got a D. I think aptitude for languages will definitely be helpful.

implantsandaDyson · 08/07/2019 12:58

My eldest - she's a good bit younger than your son. Apparently she's a natural when it comes to coding, she can do it in her sleep. She just blinks and it's done. She's good at Maths but not naturally gifted. She has to work hard at it. She also has a natural affinity for languages esp German, Tech and Design and Drama.

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 08/07/2019 12:59

I do coding as a job. The majority of coders out there are now self taught and there's so much free information out there. Coding isn't purely maths - I'm not the best at maths at all.

Get him to try out some free stuff first before paying for it and see if he enjoys it.

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