Software is something that has, in the past three decades, become absolutely essential to just about every industry, as well as to individuals. It has also paved the way in many of the innovations that have revolutionized our lives, from online banking to Facebook, and from dating apps to crowdfunding.
Of course, every website, app and software product has to be carefully designed, built and tested, and so this means that for the right kind of people with the right skills, working in software development can be a lucrative and highly in demand career path. Whether you are interested in developing for mobile platforms, the internet, business software or even video games, being a software developer can be a highly desirable career. So how does one become one?
Self-Taught Developers
While many developers have completed university degrees in fields like computer science, or have done a course like the online masters in software development offered by Maryville University, some developers are completely self-taught.
These tend to be people who have had an interest in programming from a young age and have worked on their own projects as a hobby, allowing them to demonstrate their skills and experience to potential employers or even start their own businesses developing their own software and marketing it. If you are someone who already has good programming skills, then it is a good idea to put together a portfolio of things you have worked on – even if they were not for a commercial employer – and use this to help you show what you can do and move into professional development.
Studying Development
Of course, a lot of people who would like to be developers don’t yet have the skills or any code they can show that they’ve already worked on. In this case, the best thing to do to get a career in programming is to study it. An online MSSD course, for instance, can enable you to learn skills and work on projects in your spare time, and also gain a qualification that will be recognized by employers in the industry.
Open Source Projects
Another thing that can really help you both in terms of your skills and employability as a developer if you lack experience, is to get involved in open source projects. These can give you things you can work on with a community of developers that are used by lots of people. You can learn all kinds of stuff and work on real projects that are put into use, rather than exercises. This is something a lot of developers do, either as a hobby, to hone their skills, to work with a new language or technology, or to boost their resumes.
Software development can be hugely rewarding and can be an interesting job if you care about technology and have an aptitude for things like logic. If you think it could be right for you, why not start studying how to write code today!