Anyone work in computer programming?

[RockPaperCut]

After being a sahm for 6 years I'm looking at my options work wise. I want to retrain, learn to code. There are so many options I don't even know where to begin. I don't really want to do a degree unless I have to as I need to be earning sooner rather than later. And the cost is prohibitive.

I have seen various coding schools like Makers Academy who offer a 3 month course at around 8k. Are these intensive courses respected in the industry or are they a complete waste of time? Ideally I'd like to study part time, whilst working as a junior dev. Not sure if thats even possible? Any tips would be appreciated.

I can't speak directly for the quality of any particular coding school as I haven't worked with anyone who's done one - so partly bumping this to get you more attention.

I do get the impression that most of them want you to attend full time, and some will expect you also to do homework in the evenings so can be very full on. If that's totally out of the question because of childcare/lack of home support then that rules out those schools. Costwise some do offer bursaries and some will do a loan that gets repaid during your first year in work, etc.

I did do a degree - if I was looking to get in nowadays I would do a reputable coding school with high student placement rates, and then think about further study later on once in the job rather than a degree first.

Another bump - this may be worth subscribing to for job ads and code school scholarships, tho it can be quite US dominated there is UK stuff on there:

us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=e75be710ba1a2eb0df9d82ca4&id=d3c62dfa53

Thanks slightly, I think that's what I'm leaning towards right now. The full time study and homework isn't too much of an issue, I can always work around that somehow.

I was balking at the 8k outlay. I can afford it, just. But I need to be sure it's the best option. I have subscribed to women who code and yes it's very US centric. I will keep on the look out for scholarships. Realistically I'd be looking to start in January 2018, so I have time yet.

Microsoft has the contract for all UK government data - so learning about their big data solutions would be beneficial. HADOOP and SQL will make you attractive for analyst positions. Warning: most software development is outsourced to India or China and so don't waste your money learning development languages like Java/C+ etc.

depends what you want to do.., the world is pretty much split into the big companies who want you qualified and with a very structured cv and experience... and then the rest of the world where basically coders learn through doing, and using websites for examples and tutorials...

I run a development based business and would look for someon'e ability and experience, not their qualifications... I would want them to demonstrate knowledge of latest methodologies etc. and then I would want to see them code and see how their brain works... we have had more issues over the years with staff coding in illogical ways, than with lack of qualifications...

There are always a couple of things that come up on these threads that run entirely counter to my own experience:

1. you can't work part-time in IT
2. all software dev is outsourced so don't bother

I think it'd be tough to get a junior dev job part-time, but like most things, going part-time once you are working is possible if you pick the right company. Similarly working from home. (I work PT, so does DP, so do colleagues of ours in different companies).

Outsourcing. Yes, big companies are especially fond of this. My experience is that you need to be big enough to weather it being a complete and utter disaster and needing to inshore again (a not uncommon trend) - it's fundamentally really fucking hard to write good software without really good communication with the people it's being written for. Hence the thriving existence of UK companies with massive UK dev teams - heard of JustEat? Skyscanner? Or for that matter eBay (who have a big London office, as do Google, Facebook, etc).

Plus loads of small web development agencies all over the place.

eBay outsource the bulk of it's software dev, as do Google and FB. I haven't seen JustEat and SkyScanner advertise a junior software development role (ie one requiring zero experience) in quite some time. The UK job market for software dev/programmers is for experienced people who can slot into a management role and oversee a portfolio programming activities - even recent Comp Sci graduates struggle to get appropriate roles.

Small web agencies require a portfolio of work for even junior roles.

Some of these software dev courses incur significant costs in time and money but often don't really help you get a job. Really don't want OP to waste her time. Where UK IT overall does have a lot of entry level work is analysis - which is why Hadoop and SQL are so valuable. A few years working as a junior Business/systems Analyst and you will build yourself a really future proof career.

Small web agencies require a portfolio of work for even junior roles.

not always - key is whether someone has the right way of thinking and aptitude to learn... I can teach someone enough coding to write a website in under a day - modern simple websites are very template and code library driven - you don't need to be able to code from scratch... but a logical mindset and picking up of patterns is important...

having said that, the same attributes mean that person could gain that initial learning very simply through self-motivated learning online - there is enough material to learn how to code to a seriously high level, I wouldn't be paying thousands of pounds to do that unless you want to buy entry into working for one of the bigger companies