I have very very little experience in tech/programming, other than introductory level basics. I have a degree in a non-related field and feel my current career trajectory is a dead end. I think my talents could be honed toward tech. I've tried various online courses (CS50, CodeAcademy, etc.) but they're always so dry I can never stay focused. Recently I've been experimenting with electronics and arduino, and it's opened up a world of practical and "fun" coding. But I feel there's a very large gap between programming a wifi weather module and landing a job at FAANG. Is the only viable route toward a career in tech either getting a CS degree or grinding for years at every language available? What entry points are still viable for a tech industry beginner? Where should I start?
OP. I am running into the same problem and thinking to move to tech. Pm me if you want to chat more.
The thing you will be missing if you don't learn many programming languages is versatility, and the ability to move around between languages on the job. This is especially important at bigger companies. However, it should be possible to find interesting projects specific to each language. For example, another language you could try for Arduino is Rust. Honestly I think the main ones you should learn are C (not C++), Python and Java. If you know the concepts from those three, other languages are pretty quick to pick up on EDIT: more generally, my starting point with software was coming up with my own ideas for projects and trying to learn everything I could to complete those projects. Do this enough and you'll start to see what kinds of information matter or don't matter. EDIT2: as an example, I will soon try building an oximeter on Arduino that feeds the data to the computer and allows long term storage and analysis of the resulting data. This project I came up with by knowing what I know how to do, and stringing it together into something I felt would be worthwhile.
Thank you so much for your advice! A close friend of mine is currently getting his degree in CS and it's really motivated me to make the change. I just felt that getting a second degree was out of the question and bootcamps aren't a good investment. From what I've gathered so far is I should just strap down and learn the ins and outs of a single language and then expand from there. I've been recommended C++ for versatility of use and Python for ease for beginners. Do you recommend any specific courses or projects to get started? Also, how long would it take a quick learner to develop the fundamentals enough to land an entry level position in the industry?
It really depends on what company and even what team. There are companies where it'll be easier, add others harder. They'll be hard in different ways, so once you start interviewing, don't be discouraged by a few rejections. The reason I advise against C++ is that it's a lot to try to ramp up on all at once. Keep in mind that it has all the low level complexity of C *and* builds in more complicated high level abstractions like Java. Those are two separate courses in my mind that are hard to mix. Besides,you can compile any C program as-is with a C++ compiler. You can also learn the abstractions of Java in Python, you'll just need to know what to look for. Get your friend's help so you know what to learn! I guess in general with your friend's help I'd say you could probably get a job 8-12 months from now if you work hard at it. Make sure you're learning the language in the context of a specific project, and once you're comfortable with programming itself, leetcode to estimate and improve your algorithms skills