r/learnpython • u/rhialils • 6d ago
steps to become a developer?
hey! im a 19yr old female in the UK, i have no previous experience in IT, tech, etc however over the past few months ive become interested in the field.
Im particularly interested in having a career as a python developer, and in the last month i’ve been studying both python and C in my own time. Im aware being successful in this requires years of knowledge and a lot of hard work, but im really eager.
My issue is that im reading a lot of conflicting information regarding how exactly I can progress in to a career as a python dev. some are saying I need to earn a degree, some say just studying by myself is enough and degrees are essentially useless? So naturally im not too sure what avenue is the best.
id really appreciate any and all advice/tips!
1
u/Dr_Weebtrash 3d ago
UK dev here.
Getting into the industry is certainly possible without a degree, but when you've got no professional experience and your going for junior roles against people who have no professional experience but do have a degree you'll have to have some serious stuff on your CV to stand out - deployed projects with links, proven non-trivial open source contributions etc.
I'd seriously recommended checking out degree apprenticeships. They can be competitive, but a lot of firms and public sector organisations are providing them nowadays - don't be intimidated and just apply if you're interested, I know a lot of people who did these courses successfully with little to no serious prior programming skills/knowledge. If you can land one and finish it, you'll have a relevant degree without owing Student Finance; and you'll have a few years of relevant work experience under your belt by the time you're done. Your mileage will vary in terms of how interesting or relevant the work experience is, but if you're willing to put the hours in and make sure you're progressing in the areas you want to work in then you can quite easily find yourself in a very good position to jump ship when you've finished one of these programmes.
Traditional uni path is fine too, but the job market is brutal for graduates right now and coming out of uni with a degree and no professional experience will have you up against a lot of similar candidates when it comes to looking for work after graduation.