Information about Coding Programs

Coding is the basis of our many day-to-day tech activities. From the applications you use to order food and groceries to the speech recognition program in your mobile phones- all are functioning through programming. The lines of code that developers write are sets of instructions and symbols of communication that computers can understand and use. 

Did your first glance at a screen full of computer codes, an alien language with phrases, brackets, and punctuations- seem daunting and intimidating? You are not alone. Many programmers felt the same when they first started to code. However, after consistent hard work and practice, they were able to turn it into an elegant website or valuable phone application. You will be able to do this too!

If you are a newbie to programming and breaking into tech seems like a pipe dream, don’t worry about it. There are a lot of people who have learned programming despite any prior degree or experience. So, let us take you through the diverse field of programming so you can start your career in the tech industry. 

Why should you learn Coding?

In the past, coding was more of a hobby for ‘geeks’ stuck to their computer screens for hours and even days. But over the years, coding has progressed to a critical career skill. Employers are willing to pay a premium for programmers. Additionally, countries also tend to prefer immigrants with this skill set. 

1. Coders Have Great Demand and Earning Potential

Employment is declining worldwide in all industries except for coding-related jobs, which still have plenty of opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, despite declining employment, an average of 9,600 job openings are projected each year for programmers, making it an outlier. 

Furthermore, the earning potential is higher for coders and programmers. The latest median annual wage for this career group was $97,430 in May 2021, which is higher than the median yearly wage for all occupations of $45,760. This is a growing and lucrative field. 

2. Coding can help build Businesses

Having technical coding skills can be the key to success if you are an entrepreneur with a digital idea. Michael Foote, the founder of Quote Goat, taught himself to code by trial and error after he left school to chase his dream of starting his own company. He embarked upon his journey of self-success in 2005, and by 2014, he launched his first comparison site, the Quote Goat. 

Another exemple is James Baddiley, who built his website, Chilliisauce, from his bedroom after giving up his job as an environmental consultant. He is now the CEO of the UK’s top-most leading event agencies. 

Whether you’re looking to get hired as a developer or start your own business, learning to code will help you get there. 

How to Start Coding?

You can find numerous resources available online, such as Coding Bootcamps, Coding courses, Tech articles, Online Podcasts, Stack Overflow, GitHub, Online Hackathons and YouTube tutorials. 

 Let us take you through some top resources to help you learn to code. 

1. Coding Boot Camps

What is a coding bootcamp? Coding bootcamps are available online and are the fastest and most comprehensive way to gain the knowledge and skills required to excel in this field. Coding bootcamps are easily accessible in various languages, and the best part is you can learn at your own pace. Moreover, they also provide certification based on the learner’s performance, which can be of substantial advantage while applying for jobs. Many bootcamps focus on placement and ensuring your skills are marketable to employers at graduation.

2. YouTube Tutorials 

YouTube is jam-packed with resources and free courses to learn to code, but it is crucial to identify the best ones, as pre-recorded videos are not everybody’s cup of tea. Therefore, you need to have some sound coding knowledge and be good at self-guided learning. While learning from YouTube tutorials, choose courses with basic coding for beginners instead of a tutorial with in-depth knowledge. 

Here are some top-rated YouTube channels for coding:

• Academind
• CS Dojo
• Derek Banas
• Josha Fluke
• Life of Luba
• The Coding Train

3. Join Communities for Coding                                                                            

While learning from a coding bootcamp online or YouTube tutorials, you might need assistance and answers to your sticky questions. This is where coding communities come into play. Plenty of online communities allow coders to ask questions and help others. 

One of the most popular communities is Stack Overflow, a website featuring various computer coding and programming topics. You can also interact with others in the communities, get help, and support other coding professionals. 

In addition to this, Reddit learn programming, Meetup, and Major League Hacking are some of the top communities you can join to get some answers.

4. Coding Courses     

Online coding courses can be an excellent start for beginners and professionals willing to learn a new skill. Most courses are for beginners and can range anywhere from an hour-long introductory course to a year-long program. These are a great way to try a new skill and decide if coding is a good fit for you. 

With the tech industry booming worldwide, you can find many courses, and deciding which one to pick can take time. While registering for a coding course, assess the cost, time, and course quality to help you launch or enhance your career. 

We have compiled a few online courses to give you an idea of what to expect if you wish to register.  

Google IT support - Coursera

This course focuses on basic coding for beginners. It includes instruction on  day-to-day IT support tasks such as installing programs, customer service, and wireless networking. Moreover, you will also learn to use Linux, domain name systems, binary code, and a command-line interface. The course is 100 hours long, for about six months, ensuring you will have learned all the material by the end of the course. 

C # Programming - By Alison

Microsoft has developed this programming language, C # (C sharp), on the .NET Framework. You can use it to build desktops, web, games, and mobile applications. The coding courses by Alison generally focus on beginners, but having some coding background is ideal.

The course timing is only a few hours long, so it only teaches you the basics of C sharp, but does not go into detail. You will learn how to write correct syntax for operators, create an array of values, and declare the use of iterations by the end of the course.

Python for Everybody - Coursera

Python is a popular programming language used to build websites and software, conduct visualizations and data analysis, and automate tasks. This Python course offers lectures, activities, and a capstone project. Upon completion, coders can code in Python, access web data, create and navigate data structures and use databases with ease. 

If you are interested in working with AI (artificial intelligence), machine learning, and big data, this is a great course to start off your studies!

Machine Learning - Coursera

Machine learning is a rapidly growing field in tech and is a vital part of technology. The latest self-driving cars and speech recognition in your mobile phones are working through machine learning programs. 

This slightly higher-level course includes artificial neural networks, logistic regression, and machine learning. Hence, you need some background knowledge to understand the complex math involved in the course. 

These are the top few courses, but there are many more courses you can choose from on Udemy and Coursera for basic coding training. 

Apply Your Coding Skills

So why wait? Start with your coding bootcamp or coding course today. Find one that is the best fit for your time, goals, and budget and get started!