₦airaland Forum

30 years? Too old
I’m almost 40 years and I went back to college to study CS now.
So, many over 50 years old people are learning programming and must get job after the 1 year course

tunaxy:
Programming is an of alluring profession, at least to me who seems to love creativity and real word practicality that comes with web development.

My interest in programming language, most especially Python is on a high, but to be honest, I'm afraid to start the process and commit to learning it.

After spending a lot of years in school, now I'm close to 30 years of age. So I don't know how long it might take to learn Python and Django. I'm sure it'll be a little bit challenging, but I love challenges myself.

So over to you, my guru developers in the house... is (30) not too old to start learning this technologies.

I'll take all advice, or critique.

tensazangetsu20:
Hunger might kill someone before he gets to innovate with AI. My close friend knew about the tech industry and has been doing data science since 2018 and he has never gotten a job with it.

There's also hardware. To really do data science to a very high level you need a good laptop. At least a 2070 rtx graphics card and this machines cost close to a million or above. A lot of people learning to code in Nigeria can't afford laptops or would kill to even get a laptop of 70k so how would they learn the artificial intelligence effectively when poverty is a very big problem.

I only do JavaScript PHP and java and I am very specific to platforms. I don't do full stack development and I don't go outside my domain of knowledge when it comes to code.

Your first paragraph explanation was what I called survival. Yeah! An innovative mind is a sound mind, and must not be hungry. It is what I asked the man too if he is looking for survival or creativity. But you may not know. He may not be doing it for survival sake. It is why I asked you to really be sure its survival he is into. And like i wrote earlier, Javascript and PhP are both good for survival.

But after entering the survival mode, one needs an exit strategy. 2 years hustling jobs is enough for any brilliant and innovative mind. So, the person needs to start looking into deeper stuff. This is my point. I will start getting uncomfortable with you too if after 2 years of hustling, you arent thinking of doing greater things. Not saying you leave your side hustling, but then, you start teaming up with minds to innovate. And you will definitely go into hardware purchase like you said. But you know Data science is king. Nothing beats it. Tell your friend he is wasting time trying to get job with data science. Of course one can get, but the best brains are usually sourced after. And to show one is one of the best, the person must start his/her/their project. The project will not be for profit making at the initial stage, but for show casing. And that project can be the MVP. Hope you get me. Basically speaking, its MVP the person should be thinking of creating. And which can turn to something huge and sell at huge amount if he doesn't want to go into the business side of it. So, while doing this, he needs to continue side hustling.

So, I am encouraging everyone to solely hustle for max of 2 years, and after.dive into innovating while still hustling. Or what do you think? Any hindrance? Or anything i am not considering? You can make me understand it more if there are more issues.

PeaceJoyLove:
Your first paragraph explanation was what I called survival. Yeah! An innovative mind is a sound mind, and must not be hungry. It is what I asked the man too if he is looking for survival or creativity. But you may not know. He may not be doing it for survival sake. It is why I asked you to really be sure its survival he is into. And like i wrote earlier, Javascript and PhP are both good for survival.

But after entering the survival mode, one needs an exit strategy. 2 years hustling jobs is enough for any brilliant and innovative mind. So, the person needs to start looking into deeper stuff. This is my point. I will start getting uncomfortable with you too if after 2 years of hustling, you arent thinking of doing greater things. Not saying you leave your side hustling, but then, you start teaming up with minds to innovate. And you will definitely go into hardware purchase like you said. But you know Data science is king. Nothing beats it. Tell your friend he is wasting time trying to get job with data science. Of course one can get, but the best brains are usually sourced after. And to show one is one of the best, the person must start his/her/their project. The project will not be for profit making at the initial stage, but for show casing. And that project can be the MVP. Hope you get me. Basically speaking, its MVP the person should be thinking of creating. And which can turn to something huge and sell at huge amount if he doesn't want to go into the business side of it. So, while doing this, he needs to continue side hustling.

So, I am encouraging everyone to solely hustle for max of 2 years, and after.dive into innovating while still hustling. Or what do you think? Any hindrance? Or anything i am not considering? You can make me understand it more if there are more issues.

I feel 2 years is honestly too short. The thing is that programming or software engineering is a profession and it takes a while to get good. It's like saying a doctor who has two years of experience is good to go to open his own hospital. A whole lot of people will die. Depending on the field of programming, there's a whole lot of deep stuff out there that isn't available online. You need to learn these things via work.

Look at binance, the founder had acquired over 20 years of work experience building high trading algorithmic software before starting the company. There's no tutorial out there that will help any programmer build a product like binance. Same thing with regards to any high end software product you can think of. Someone with 2 years experience in programming is still considered a junior developer in many organisations.

I feel 5 years is a really good number of years to acquire enough experience to start ones thing. As for me I am still young. In my 20s, i intend to spend up to my 40s honing my software engineering skills before I start up my own company either as a consultant or building out software products to extend the functionality of my platform of choice.

tunaxy:
Programming is an of alluring profession, at least to me who seems to love creativity and real word practicality that comes with web development.

My interest in programming language, most especially Python is on a high, but to be honest, I'm afraid to start the process and commit to learning it.

After spending a lot of years in school, now I'm close to 30 years of age. So I don't know how long it might take to learn Python and Django. I'm sure it'll be a little bit challenging, but I love challenges myself.

So over to you, my guru developers in the house... is (30) not too old to start learning this technologies.

I'll take all advice, or critique.

In three more years you will be 33.
And when that time comes you will be saying one of two things:

“I've been coding for 3 years!”

Or
2. “I'm 33, is it too late to start programming?”
Don't be number 2.
Because the only thing that will have changed is how long you've been asking yourself the same question.

Also, quick advice.
- learn programming because you enjoy programming, deep thinking, problem-solving, etc… If you learn to program because you think there’s money in it (and there is) you’re unlikely to be successful or happy. Money in this field is a slow start, and that’s a snails pace if you don’t actually enjoy programming.

- If you generally have trouble sticking with things, programming may not be for you

EvilSec:
In three more years you will be 33.
And when that time comes you will be saying one of two things:

“I've been coding for 3 years!”

Or
2. “I'm 33, is it too late to start programming?”
Don't be number 2.
Because the only thing that will have changed is how long you've been asking yourself the same question.

Also, quick advice.
- learn programming because you enjoy programming, deep thinking, problem-solving, etc… If you learn to program because you think there’s money in it (and there is) you’re unlikely to be successful or happy. Money in this field is a slow start, and that’s a snails pace if you don’t actually enjoy programming.

- If you generally have trouble sticking with things, programming may not be for you

Exactly. Creativity drives motivation. This has been my point.

tensazangetsu20:
I feel 2 years is honestly too short. The thing is that programming or software engineering is a profession and it takes a while to get good. It's like saying a doctor who has two years of experience is good to go to open his own hospital. A whole lot of people will die. Depending on the field of programming, there's a whole lot of deep stuff out there that isn't available online. You need to learn these things via work.

Look at binance, the founder had acquired over 20 years of work experience building high trading algorithmic software before starting the company. There's no tutorial out there that will help any programmer build a product like binance. Same thing with regards to any high end software product you can think of. Someone with 2 years experience in programming is still considered a junior developer in many organisations.

I feel 5 years is a really good number of years to acquire enough experience to start ones thing. As for me I am still young. In my 20s, i intend to spend up to my 40s honing my software engineering skills before I start up my own company either as a consultant or building out software products to extend the functionality of my platform of choice.

Well, you have mapped out your future, and it's ok.

But you made a wrong comparison using medicine and programming. And you gave 5 years for a programmer to stand on his/her feet. A medical doctor is just a baby after 5 years. So, let's not use that at all. What you can use is creativity. Something like art/graphic design/photography/video. Are you saying someone cannot pick photography in just 6 months and starts being creative? Of course you dont have to know everything before you start being creative. In fact you learn faster and better by doing your project after you have the basic. The motivation to get the job done is the drive which makes you research here and there. We arent talking about medicine where it concerns life. Mistake is allowed in art but not with life. And you can learn from your mistake. This is my point.

If you think 5 years is OK for you, fine. But within 2 years, the basis is already acquired. One can start his/her projects. If one wants to go into Robotic, just buy books and hardware for beginners and start practising. And give yourself a target of doing something.. this is how you do it. But saying 2 years experience is considered a junior whatever (I keep reading that sh!t here) is rubbish. A junior whatever can be innovative and learn faster and do something better than the senior useless programmer who is comfortable with hustling for many years.

I willl post something tonight or tomorrow to buttress my point. But I know many photographers who did great stuff. By the way, you can visit Yaba College of Technology and see creativity. Art and photography.... OMG. They are better than university students. Why? They are hustlers. They started being creative from OND 1. Their very first year in the polytechnic. Their architects are far better than universities too at the same level. In fact, many of UNILAG's graduates always first attend Yabatech. I know because I know them very well. This theory applies to programming too.

Creativity is in the mind. All you need is the basis and learn how to use libraries of the languages you want to use...and many other tricks. When you have something in mind to do, you are pushed to go beyond the limit to learn more. Necessity is the mother of invention.

The reason I gave 2 years is not for the person to be perfect, but to be financial stable to be in the right state to start thinking straight. The person can afford to buy what he needs at that point. The 2 years is not to learn well but to be financially stable.

Now, we may be saying the same thing in some aspects. Yes, I agree that after that 2 years, learning has just start. But where I have a different opinion is that the person can think of something of his own and learn even faster, but you want him learning in an organisation which I know he will not learn fast, except he is in a very good organisation where they allow them to develop their brain by being innovative. But in this Nigerian context, the person should endeavor to start his own thing. I am not saying the person should start a company. All I'm saying is that he can start building something. Here are things he can do:

1. Buy a drone and start flying it. At least, you must be a good pilot first.
2.Start thinking of what to do with the drone
3. By robotic machine and start programming it.

All the following above are real training which can lead the person to do something magnificent. And the fellow may need to start learning C++, Python, Java, or any other situation language for what he wants to build, instead of him staying with just PhP and Javascript. And if he sees that PhP can even do what he wants to do with the drone, why not? Let him go ahead.

Hope you get me.

But the problem is that many people just stayed in that Fiverr and LinkedIn hustling for too long. And the start rotten soon. Of course, they must rot when they dont innovate.

Now to Binance founder, again I did not say you start a company after 2 years, but to start building is what I meant. The Binance guy only built the company after many years. But he had built products perhaps he had sold for some good cash. He had built many MVPs too. I hope you gat my points now.

PeaceJoyLove:
Well, you have mapped out your future, and it's ok.

But you made a wrong comparison using medicine and programming. And you gave 5 years for a programmer to stand on his/her feet. A medical doctor is just a baby after 5 years. So, let's not use that at all. What you can use is creativity. Something like art/graphic design/photography/video. Are you saying someone cannot pick photography in just 6 months and starts being creative? Of course you dont have to know everything before you start being creative. In fact you learn faster and better by doing your project after you have the basic. The motivation to get the job done is the drive which makes you research here and there. We arent talking about medicine where it concerns life. Mistake is allowed in art but not with life. And you can learn from your mistake. This is my point.

If you think 5 years is OK for you, fine. But within 2 years, the basis is already acquired. One can start his/her projects. If one wants to go into Robotic, just buy books and hardware for beginners and start practising. And give yourself a target of doing something.. this is how you do it. But saying 2 years experience is considered a junior whatever (I keep reading that sh!t here) is rubbish. A junior whatever can be innovative and learn faster and do something better than the senior useless programmer who is comfortable with hustling for many years.

I willl post something tonight or tomorrow to buttress my point. But I know many photographers who did great stuff. By the way, you can visit Yaba College of Technology and see creativity. Art and photography.... OMG. They are better than university students. Why? They are hustlers. They started being creative from OND 1. Their very first year in the polytechnic. Their architects are far better than universities too at the same level. In fact, many of UNILAG's graduates always first attend Yabatech. I know because I know them very well. This theory applies to programming too.

Creativity is in the mind. All you need is the basis and learn how to use libraries of the languages you want to use...and many other tricks. When you have something in mind to do, you are pushed to go beyond the limit to learn more. Necessity is the mother of invention.

The reason I gave 2 years is not for the person to be perfect, but to be financial stable to be in the right state to start thinking straight. The person can afford to buy what he needs at that point. The 2 years is not to learn well but to be financially stable.

Now, we may be saying the same thing in some aspects. Yes, I agree that after that 2 years, learning has just start. But where I have a different opinion is that the person can think of something of his own and learn even faster, but you want him learning in an organisation which I know he will not learn fast, except he is in a very good organisation where they allow them to develop their brain by being innovative. But in this Nigerian context, the person should endeavor to start his own thing. I am not saying the person should start a company. All I'm saying is that he can start building something. Here are things he can do:

1. Buy a drone and start flying it. At least, you must be a good pilot first.
2.Start thinking of what to do with the drone
3. By robotic machine and start programming it.

All the following above are real training which can lead the person to do something magnificent. And the fellow may need to start learning C++, Python, Java, or any other situation language for what he wants to build, instead of him staying with just PhP and Javascript. And if he sees that PhP can even do what he wants to do with the drone, why not? Let him go ahead.

Hope you get me.

But the problem is that many people just stayed in that Fiverr and LinkedIn hustling for too long. And the start rotten soon. Of course, they must rot when they dont innovate.

Now to Binance founder, again I did not say you start a company after 2 years, but to start building is what I meant. The Binance guy only built the company after many years. But he had built products perhaps he had sold for some good cash. He had built many MVPs too. I hope you gat my points now.

Oh yes if you mean it this way then 2 years is very fair. There's a lot of places developers can make money now and you don't need to stress yourself much. Envato, codecanyon, Shopify app store, sap app store, Salesforce app exchange et al and within the period the developer is strong enough financially to think straight when you said start something after two years I thought you were referring to starting a company.

tensazangetsu20:
Oh yes if you mean it this way then 2 years is very fair. There's a lot of places developers can make money now and you don't need to stress yourself much. Envato, codecanyon, Shopify app store, sap app store, Salesforce app exchange et al and within the period the developer is strong enough financially to think straight when you said start something after two years I thought you were referring to starting a company.

Now you get me.

Now here is the thing. That person may find himself creating something huge. And maybe needs to tweak it here and there....of course he cannot learn all languages and he may not be good in some other areas. He may then call other guys to join him. And they better look for a business guy to be the CEO at the right time. Or he may decide to sell it for some millions. It's possible.

Another scenario, a CEO may call him to be the CTO of his startup. He doesnt need to be excellently good, but he is there to bring in talents and drive home ideas. He knows what it takes as a programmer. This is smartness. One doesnt have to sit behind the computer learning about rapture ....just get ready. And if you dont believe in rapture, be ready for 6 feet below anytime while making the world a better place. It can come anytime.

This is why they should start positioning themselves as Co Founders maybe after 5 years. It is a way to learn tremendously. Can you see what I am driving at? But indeed even 15 years programmers not navigating life at all. They are just hustling here and there. For how long will theh do that? It kbeats my imagination how programmers wants to start charging high for innovating in an emerging economy. Do you really get me? Instead of salary, they can go for equity. It's a big risk. But they have side hustle for goodness sake. So, why not take the risk while the side hustle take care of living expenses.

So, if programmers start innovating, they are creating huge opportunities for themselves. I am telling everyone reading my posts not to listen to those fake nairaland senior programmers who is telling them they cannot do it. They are fakes. Get the basis covered, be financially free, and start digging deep to innovate. Anything can come your way.

tensazangetsu20:
Another thing too is that many of these guys don't still know how to job hunt. Ask him how many jobs he has applied for. Look at his projects. How does his CV look like? Sometimes it's not the stack but so many people don't know how to present themselves or put in effort to get a job.

Of course, it is not about the stack. I have multiple offers on my desk atm, all as .Net Engineer.
He might need to re-evaluate his resume, just like you pointed out. If he did not have enough experience, he could look to work as intern and junior dev even if the pay is small at the beginning. With patience and hardwork, just like in every other career, he will eventually gain enough experience to enable him land bigger job.

tunaxy:
Programming is an of alluring profession, at least to me who seems to love creativity and real word practicality that comes with web development.

My interest in programming language, most especially Python is on a high, but to be honest, I'm afraid to start the process and commit to learning it.

After spending a lot of years in school, now I'm close to 30 years of age. So I don't know how long it might take to learn Python and Django. I'm sure it'll be a little bit challenging, but I love challenges myself.

So over to you, my guru developers in the house... is (30) not too old to start learning this technologies.

I'll take all advice, or critique.

Bro you are not old!! I'm 29yrs of age I studied computer Engineering in uni finished NYSC 2019 came out no good job then I just started learning how to Code full time last month I'm done with HTML and CSS and I'm about to get Into JAVASCRIPT!!! hopefully by November at most if things goes well, I should be done!! And then hopefully get a job!! My Networking skills are top notch so I won't have a problem!!

I would advice , it's not going to be easy but it's a decision I must tell you you won't regret. One of my guy who happens to be my very close friend and my former course mate in uni that started learning java in 2018 when me I dey Reason Another thing , earns 250k presently he didn't have a good job when he was in ABJ but the company he works for contacted him On LinkedIn in January this year.

It's a field you would never regret joining but I would advice based on my little experience if you are not good at networking work on it cos it will come in Handy when you're done with your learning that's if you choose to go into software development. Make e be say you don get the skill and na job remain rather than make job opening come and you no get the skill...

The thing is just start!! If you have a laptop try and get the required courses , download them. Like as for me it's a struggle to get data so I met a friend , got all the necessary JavaScript and REACT Videos from him so I would only be needing little data from time to time( although I'm still looking for any IT internship so I can make little funds to keep body and soul )

In Summary, with IT you would have job security and you might not be the richest man in Nigeria but you can never be poor!!!

MODIFIED: If you need videos on HTML , CSS , JAVASCRIPT and REACT and If you're in Lagos and can come around Ikotun , we could meet and I'll send you the required videos FREE OF CHARGE but you go pay my TP this is my own way of giving back!

Lordally

Baba can I link up with you, I need someone like you around me boss.

I just started with CSS

Avast:
Lordally

Baba can I link up with you, I need someone like you around me boss.

I just started with CSS

Baba me.... No Lele You fit mail me

lordally:
Baba me.... No Lele You fit mail me

Ok now. Thanks

lordally:
If you have a laptop try and get the required courses , download them. Like as for me it's a struggle to get data so I met a friend , got all the necessary JavaScript and REACT Videos from him

Good day my guy, pls I'll be returning to Naija next month thru Lagos.

Pls I'll come and collect this from you. Thanks Bro

GeeConn:
Good day my guy, pls I'll be returning to Naija next month thru Lagos.

Pls I'll come and collect this from you. Thanks Bro

No wahala my Man!! We go chat for whatsapp