Too old for coding

D

deca300

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Hi guys,

Firstly Merry Christmas.

I'm in IT, system admin. I am 29 years old, am I too old to learn coding and perhaps make it my career?
Does it take years of experience to actually start working as a programmer? I don't know much about software development. Has anyone here perhaps made a move like this?

What would be a good solid programming language to learn? One which there are many jobs available? I was looking at C#, would this be a good choice? If not what else?

Is this something I can learn on my own? With the right material?

Please, I'd appreciate any advice or tips.

Thank you
 
You can learn it like any skill.

But if you're not drawn to it, then you shouldn't do it imo. You'll hate it eventually.
 
Do you like solving problems? Can you work alone for hours at a time? If yes, then continue...

You're never to old to learn software development. The only issue I see is that if you study software development and get qualified, when you get a job, you will likely get an entry level salary and your superior will be your junior (in age).

C# is a good choice, it is one of the current main stream languages. Download Visual Studio Express for free and start developing some apps from tutorials and see if you like it.

@biometrics is correct in saying you basically need a passion for it though. More often than not, I have seen colleagues begin to hate software development and their job because they aren't passionate. The studied software development because they thought they would enjoy it only to hate it years down the line.
 
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deca300 said:
Hi guys,

Firstly Merry Christmas.

I'm in IT, system admin. I am 29 years old, am I too old to learn coding and perhaps make it my career?
Does it take years of experience to actually start working as a programmer? I don't know much about software development. Has anyone here perhaps made a move like this?

What would be a good solid programming language to learn? One which there are many jobs available? I was looking at C#, would this be a good choice? If not what else?

Is this something I can learn on my own? With the right material?

Please, I'd appreciate any advice or tips.

Thank you
Click to expand...

I was 31 when I got my first job as a software developer. While I had been playing with code since I was 9, I was no more experienced than other who did 3 months certificate courses. I had no formal qualifications and spent the month before my job started learning PHP by writing down the language commands in a book - I'm old school.

Fast forward 10 years and I'm the team lead for our financial and business systems development team. One of the many critical teams in our company.

Head over to edx, coursera and check out the courses on over. One thing is that you need to learn more than one language. Play around with C#, Python and Android. Also learn SQL please, its really makes all the difference and its the one skull I continue to find lacking in this industry.
 
I'm also a system admin same age as you looking to get into software development. What I'm doing currently is focusing on learning Powershell which is a scripting language. This means I can use it in my current job as well as learning development. This will help me branch out easier later on.
 
One shouldn't learn how to use a programming language, but rather the fundamentals of programming. Once you know the fundamentals, switching from one language to another will be easier.
 
As was said above unless you have a real passion for it, don't bother.

So don't go spend money on it. Pick up something like "A Byte of Python" which is a free ebook.

If you get through the book and you are still interested then soldier on, if not...it won't change with another language.

Being a sys admin I take it you've done some shell scripting? Have you enjoyed that at all?
 
Personally C# isn't my recommendation for someone learning to code, nor does it have the highest earning potential... Why not look into Java or Python?
 
You're never too old. The only downside is that you might have to start with a junior salary which can be sucky if you old and have more expenses than a younger person would have.
 
Do you want to stop being a SysAdmin? DevOps is starting to become more common where you develop the systems and administer them as well. This means that you won't be throwing your SysAdmin experience away but building on it to reach a more advanced position.
 
TheGuy has a good aproach start using programming to improve your current job and then start looking for applications to write that will improve the user experience for your current position. If you do a good job there then you will likely be pulled into other areas of the company which may be more programming orientated.
 
deca300 said:
Hi guys,

Firstly Merry Christmas.

I'm in IT, system admin. I am 29 years old, am I too old to learn coding and perhaps make it my career?
Does it take years of experience to actually start working as a programmer? I don't know much about software development. Has anyone here perhaps made a move like this?

What would be a good solid programming language to learn? One which there are many jobs available? I was looking at C#, would this be a good choice? If not what else?

Is this something I can learn on my own? With the right material?

Please, I'd appreciate any advice or tips.

Thank you
Click to expand...

First, I would speak to friends or family who are in the industry to get a first hand account of what they think about their give job/career in IT.

Secondly, you're not too old to learn programming - just make sure you have a passion of creating interesting and fun solutions to some difficult problems.

Also, make sure that you find an area to specialise in and you would enjoy. Like others mentioned, DevOps could be something you could get into since it is sysadmin mixed with programming.

I think you need to find the area you could add the most value in and then move to there. Use your sysadmin skills to perhaps learn languages closely related to it so what you could do is add more value in your current job by perhaps writing more scripts to perhaps automate certain tasks? Python or powershell could be useful to learn depending on your environment.
 
if you have a friend that codes and they're willing to help/mentor you, then learn whatever language they use. you will learn a lot more with a mentor than you ever will by yourself.
 
Hi guys, thank you for all the feedback! I really appreciate it.
 
Merry Chrismas all from me as well...and enjoy the next year
Brentontw said:
Personally C# isn't my recommendation for someone learning to code, nor does it have the highest earning potential... Why not look into Java or Python?
Click to expand...
Java will only have high earnings if you are experienced. And everyone seems to be looking for exeprienced Java devs and no beginners IMO. Or should he go and attempt to get certified? I see that is difficult without exposure which learns you so much more with a bit of mentor****. Old is in the eyes of the companies, they want youngsters who can stay at the office all day and night... who don't have responsibilities...
I'd like to go that direction as well. BUT... I'm 40, white... but yaaa...
Just MY 2c...
 
Don't start with a complicated language like Java or C#... Try write something in batch or a shell script. It's the basic start to programming.

After making a few ridiculously simple programs, then move on to something like Python, which is probably the most similar.

From there, you can decide if you actually like it or not, and continue to learn more advanced/useful/popular languages. All the fundamental skills are the same, it's just the way it's written.
 
I'm not experienced python developer but had to write few small programs and python was logical choice and also fun to do.
Install python and pycharm (nice free editor with integrated debugger). Cursera always has some nice courses and there are few decent e-books for free.
For a start take one book and work on all exercises until you are confident then move to next level.
One of the problems is information overload and you end up trying out 10 different things at the same time.
Start with one and finish it until happy and move up.
 
There are some good advice to you question, but I would like to point out two.
This:
One shouldn't learn how to use a programming language, but rather the fundamentals of programming. Once you know the fundamentals, switching from one language to another will be easier.
Click to expand...
And this:
Do you want to stop being a SysAdmin? DevOps is starting to become more common where you develop the systems and administer them as well. This means that you won't be throwing your SysAdmin experience away but building on it to reach a more advanced position.
Click to expand...

Here's my story/advice:
You never too old to learn anything, or be competitive in a market where companies prefer junior Devops. Being certificated means Jack sh*t if you do not have the experience.

I'm pushing 51. My vocation was an electronics engineer. 10 years ago I had this brilliant idea for a project but I needed a website and web services for that. So I started studying PHP and MySQL (and then later JS, HTML, CSS, etc.).
8 years ago, I got fed up with the electronics and went into web development, specifically back end development, full time and Drupal CMS with its API.

Today I am senior developer and team lead for a large project.
So, here is my advice, and why I quoted the above two.

Get yourself a little project for yourself. You want to learn C(#, ++)? Start thinking out the box. Get an Arduino. Create a special project for yourself at home that is fun. You would be surprised how much you learn when you do something for yourself.
Make the Arduino talk to a server > webpage. Now you might be learning a bit more about PHP, Java or Python, etc. You would be surprised on the similarities (thus quote no.1).

Or, since you in IT, You might know Linux. Get a RaspberryPi. Runs on Linux, but you can do your own custom programming (I'm not sure which languages, but I think Python is one of them). (thus quote no. 2).

Things I've learned:
1. Don't try and learn everything for a specific language. Get the basics. You want a specific function? Then search Google and study it.
2. Be prepared to change your mind set of what you know now, and accept new challenges. Case in point from me being an engineer. The programming I did during that time was very logic based (if this then that, type of thing). I had a tough time mastering OOP, but I did. (Another reason for quote no. 1, OOP is used in many languages).
3. Get experience, a lot, and a lot of different scenarios. As I said before, certificates does not count if you don't have experience (In my current job, I also review CV's and sit in with interviews. 90% I would recommend a person with experience over a certificate.)
4. Have fun. As people said here, if it does not give you pleasure, don't bother.
5. Oh, also what others said, it can be a very lonely job. But then it could be about self satisfaction nailing that problem.
 
freddster said:
..... BUT... I'm 40, white... but yaaa...
Just MY 2c...
Click to expand...

Well that's your problem, your attitude. I would kick you out of an interview with that comment and make sure you would not be allowed to interview for the janitor position.

In the last decade I've never had my age, gender or race work against me or even be mentioned in an interview.

I've been offered jobs based on my personality and attitude. My first attempt at working for my current employer failed because at that stage I was not what they where looking for, 2 years later I got another chance and got a better job from them.
 
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