Doing a Springboard course in programming/software development at 29

Occono

I'm currently 28 and working minimum wage. I have a BA in English and History. Yes, it's useless, but especially so for me I think as my Asperger's makes me a poor candidate for a lot of roles where it would work. I also didn't pass with flying colours.

I have started looking into Springboard courses, with advice from a younger friend in a similar friend who's doing one now. What I'm really just asking is, I'll be 30 by the time I graduate, if I were to start one next year. With a one-year Springboard course att his age still be enough to turn around my job prospects and get going with a late-term career? Enough to properly live independently at least.

I'm not good at selling myself as you can tell,, but I am really motivated to pursue this if it's still possible to increase my job and career prospects from here. I am just at early stages ofr preparing now, doing basic introductory stuff like Codecademy.

OMM 0000

30 is still young.

Do you actually like programming? Most people hate it and can't do it.

Occono

OMM 0000 wrote: »

30 is still young.

Do you actually like programming? Most people hate it and can't do it.

Honestly, yeah, I am now thinking I'd be pretty good at it. We had no computer at home growing up but I used them elsewhere quite a lot. It's just not something I ended up studying because of various reasons which would be TMI. I have a good while to decide to actually commit to it or not, but yes, I think I would do well in programming. I guess I haven't pursued it already because of sunk cost fallacy/anxiety/thinking I wasn't focused enough for it, but I think working for a while now has actually kicked some bad habits that I had before that I think would have made me fail if I tried earlier.

I'm aware it would be a very intensive course to do as a postgrad springboard course. I am practising it before I can commit to anything, that's months away at least if I did it next year. I am just more immediately concerned if it's worth it at this point.

Cilar

My wife did it at 31, and is a now a full-time software developer. Asperger's type people have usually the mindset for programming.

You could try out first to make sure you like coding - using things like codecademy.com (web, javascript or java courses).

GalwayGrrrrrl

Have you looked at other options apart from springboard? You are in a good position in that you have a degree. For example NUI Galway run postgrad diplomas in software development for people with degrees in non-computing subjects. The course includes a work based project which could lead to employment afterwards. The students on that course are a mix of ages, you would be one of the younger ones at 29/30.

OMM 0000

OK that's good.

Yes it's definitely worth it if you like it and are good at it.

Here's a route you could take while waiting for the course to start:

1. Read the book series YDKJS.
2. Learn Node.js.
3. Learn Vue.js.
4. Build a full stack JS website - node backend, vue frontend. It could be anything, for example, blogging software.

You can accomplish the above, realistically, in about 9 months.

You could probably get a job based on this.

glen123

I was in a similar situation many years ago - 26, unusable degree from a non-EU country, young child to look after and a min wage job. At the time part-time and distance study options were very limited in Ireland so I did the Open University IT degree course. I think I was only studying for a year or two when I secured a job in the IT section of the company I worked for and another few years later I ended up in software development where I stayed for about 5 years before moving on to do something else IT related.

It's all very doable if you put your mind to it and if you like what you are doing. Enjoying what you are studying will make it all much easier. If you plan on studying part-time (evenings), you could try and get a job as a tester or something. This will provide a good exposure to various areas of IT (Business Analysis, Development, UAT, Project Management, etc) and it will help you later on when it comes to unit testing your own code.

MollyZ

I was in a similar position to you in my early 40s and decided to do a springboard course when I was laid off. It was the best decision I ever made and now i have a new career in IT that I love. Go for it, it's never too late and as the saying goes, in 20 years time it'll be the things you didn't do that you'll regret, not the things you did do. Good luck!

s7ryf3925pivug

Yes one year springboard course is a good platform to get into careers such as software development if you have an aptitude. I used to teach such courses. Right now the person behind me and the person in front of me at work in a software development department came from them.

Be aware that the hdips have a fairly high workload and it often tends to bottleneck from lecturers not coordinating assignments.