It's a crazy time for the world right now and I've been sitting around thinking, how in the world can I help. We've been seeing a lot of people getting bored in lockdown, self-isolation and/or just social distancing themselves.
People are wondering what to do with themselves. I've jokingly told friends to learn how to code. But hey! Why not? If you don't want to, I'm definitely not here to force you. But I've had numerous people show some interest in wanting to learn, and this is a good time to do it.
There are so many resources online to learn how to code and it's hard to know where to start. Here are some suggestions from my (Priscilla) personal experience, but I suggest you also do some research! Who knows you might find some better sources!
Codecademy is good for beginners and has more of an interactive way of learning and is gamified (there are levels and steps, you can't get through to the next step until you've finished the step you're on).
If you have no idea what kind of programming you want to learn they also have a Sorting Quiz which will help you figure out what kind of programming you would do best in (think the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter).
There are free classes and Pro classes. I suggest trying the free classes first, but you can also try Pro for free for 7 days.
Learn on your own schedule.
Udemy uses the video approach - basically watching tutorials online and you follow along. This means you will most likely have the web browser open, as well as your own apps open.
Also learning on your own schedule. You can purchase courses risk-free with their 30-day, money-back guarantee.
Udacity Nanodegrees, are basically online certifications, so this might be the way to go if you are really serious about learning and having a career in tech.
Unlike the two above, you can't learn on your own schedule. It's a course, where you follow through videos and create your own projects/apps at the same time as your peers who also signed up. There are also mentors, coaches, slack channels with peers if you ever get stuck.
I just had a check and their programmes are starting really soon on March 25th. Which might be too soon for some of you, but something to be aware of. There is no rush to join now though, they have them throughout the year.
At the end of your course, I believe they will help you with your resume and LinkedIn and if you're based in America, can help you find a job - please double check on this though, because I could be wrong.
If you want to try out a FREE course on Udacity to get a feel before you sign up, a good place to start is their free Intro to Programming course https://www.udacity.com/course/what-is-programming--ud994
If anyone has any other recommendations, please let me know and I'll add to the list!
It can be a curveball when you first start, don't worry it gets easier! You'll also find that in this industry, you have to learn how to be a 'life long learner'. There are always new programming languages and frameworks coming out that you have to learn, which is part of the excitement - keeps the job less mundane.
I primarily work in web/software using HTML, CSS, Javascript, React.js and Ruby on Rails.
If you need help in any of these please feel free to ask me for help. We can even get on a video call if you get stuck on a problem, and we can try to work it out together.
Hope everyone is staying safe out there. Kia Kaha!
