"Learn to code"

[Howaboutnope]

I've read this on a few threads recently - IT is where the money is at. But its all double dutch to me- I'd love to learn and try a new career and earn more money but I'm 34 and really don't have much IT knowledge bar the basics and using a laptop everyday. Is it really that easy to learn?! And how does it translate into a new career? Tips for dummies welcome!

Blimey. So that's what coding is. I was taught how to program using Ramis II in the 1980's, but I wouldn't have the slightest interest in doing anything like that now.

I don’t even think the “it’s a waste of time” because of salary is the point anymore. Regardless of salary it’s where the jobs are being created and lots of other jobs are decreasing. I think coding needs to be done in the home same as cooking, driving, cleaning, budgeting - part of fun items to prep our kids for the future.

i follow this account on insta and she did a basic coding with lollipop sticks activity: www.instagram.com/p/CY1CXjaorgc

I’m going to bed too now!

I started learning this year i started off with sql and python. I've just enrolled on my third course at codefirstgirls and Im loving it.

A month a go I got headhunted on linked in for a dream job, they said it was the interest and self learning to programme which caught their eye. Im 32. Go for it!

This is spot on. I tick the "real interest" boxes - knew I wanted to code at a young age, taught myself to make websites, even got a Computer Science degree. And yet coding still wasn't for me, because I'm NOT the kind of person who can stare for hours at code that should be working, trying to identify the bugs.

I put my degree to use in other ways and do work in a related field, but could not agree more with pixie5121 about the huge discrepancy between the number of people interested in a career in coding, versus those actually suited to such a career.

Argh, it didn't quote! In case it wasn't obvious - my comment was in relation to pixie5121's first post.

Programming computers isn't magic. Could you write a knitting pattern, with options to customize it for different sizes and shapes of wearer? Same sort of thing. Do you use formulas in Excel? Do you write macros for Excel or Word? Were you happy with algebra at school, 2a + b = 32 means a = 16 - b/2, that sort of thing? And have you the staying power to go through your car's instructions to find out how to reset the clock twice a year ? ;)

But, like, say, law, learning all the stuff you need to know is a lot of work, and you're always having to learn more. Comparable to being a musician who has to get on board with a new instrument or genre every few years.

I was a programmer for over 3 decades (v recently retired) and TBH the vast vast VAST majority of my colleagues had degrees in computing or numerate subjects like physics or chemistry. Though there was one guy who'd come in on a graduate entry scheme who had an English degree...
The only late-entry successful programmer I know - so, a good role model here - was one of our receptionist/administrators. Taking, I assume, the, "if these bozos can do it, how hard can it be?!" view, she did a BSc in Computing with the OU in her own time, did a bit of project management at work meanwhile, and had a successful software engineering career after she graduated.

I do rather think all the "why not learn to code!" and "gurrrrlls in CODING R KEWL" advert writers have 0 idea of what the job actually entails and know 0 programmers. They would never ever go "Why not learn to be a lawyer!" "Law is Cool!" because they have a solicitor mate and know they had to do a fuckton of work to qualify!

I will say that you don't have to be the sort of person who write programs for fun to have a career in it! I liked my work but I don't do it for free and I did just fine.

@pixie5121 part of what you are saying is true but it depends what level you work at, the industry/jobs tend to go in cycles where you are expected to only focus on a certain aspect of a system eg automation/FE/middleware/cloud/data and then other times where you need to be more able to go across the board. Whilst not particularly confident in myself, I know that I can pick up any area needed and adopt a technology/language that I may not currently know because of my experience.

I can’t see the point in suddenly deciding to start your career path from scratch (see what I did there lol) and take up coding.

there are 1000s of teens and young adults studying it now at university and colleges, ones who have known how to do it since they were pre-teens…I feel like it’s probably setting you up to fail if you try to compete with them.

isn’t there something you can do in your current field that you already have the foundation skills for?

Nonsense.

There are many roles in IT. Some roles are in more demand and have high salaries to match. As others mentioned, desktop support will attract lower salary but roles in Data Engineering & Data Science, Software Engineering etc will attract higher salaries.

Other factors are location and industry. London roles will naturally attract a higher salary but still possible to get high salaries elsewhere. I’m in Scotland, and depending on bonus can earn around 100k. My starting salary over a decade ago was > 30K.

I know what coders do and I would find it mind numbingly boring. Hours and hours in front of a screen with teams of letters and numbers. No pics or colours to break things up. The people that do it absolutely love it though. I couldn't do it.

I had to learn basics of SQL and Python for my current (dream) role. More than basics actually and I found it not as easy as people say. I’m very good with Excel, statistical tools, maths, I have what some would call a logical brain but coding is just not for me. I’m in an analytical role, working with a giant database and it drives me insane if I miss a coma or a bracket somewhere and my very long query doesn’t work. I’ve had to make peace with the fact I will never be the best at it and it will probably take me years to get to where some of my colleagues are with it.

Basically how you view mumsnet the way we are reading it now, basically take off this cover so to speak, and the engine will be various symbols alphabet letters, different dots, dashes, ect

m.youtube.com/watch?v=3wuMRPhSNd0

There are also peripheral jobs that work alongside/around software development that might be of interest if you find that coding isn't your thing.

Roles like test analyst, quality assurance analyst, web accessibility testing

@pixie5121 for an even simpler way to see the code in Chrome, do the following

type Ctrl-U and a new tab will open with all the code for the current page

type Ctrl-F and search for the word 'penguins'

you will see the html version of this post I'm writing now (assuming it is the only post mentioning penguins in the thread).

Watching this thread with interest

Well things must have changed a bit since I was last job hunting. The language I used was quite an obscure one although very similar to the old common one. It took months to find a job with very few interviews offered as everyone wanted experience in the more popular languages. Finally got one for an equally obscure language and my part time salary is based on a full time salary of 40000, so apparently I’m not very good at it according to PP.

Isn’t there a tool you use to check lines of code for missing tags, etc?

I’ve forgotten what it is called.

@pixie5121 , no I’m not surprised that my salary isn’t that high. I’m surprised that someone would comment that anyone who isn’t on a super high one can’t be very good at their job, and also surprised that people are being head hunted when they have no experience working in IT at all when I did have, just in a different language. Like I said, things must have changed since I was looking for work if this is now the case.