I'm 29 and not satisfied with my line of work. I've recently looked into computer programming, and it seems like a good fit. I'm intelligent and have strong math, logic, and language skills. I've been familiarizing myself with some programming languages but haven't done anything major. I have a B.A. and a master's degree but in a completely unrelated field.
Should I seek any sort of formal education? Something online? Just self-teach and get certain certifications? Which ones?
I intend to check with some friends who have connections (either work in the field themselves or have some they work with who do). What can I do to get them to take me seriously? Are many positions available where you can go in doing grunt work and work up to the more demanding stuff (something like an apprenticeship)?
What are some online resources to either get acquainted with the field or to learn some of the specifics? I've been doing a lot of the lessons at codeacademy.com, but I'd like to have some other stuff I can pull from as well.
I was planning to stay in my current line of work until the time was right. I've considered doing odd jobs through guru.com or something like that to build a bit of a portfolio, though understanding the language and knowing what to do with it are two different things. Also, fwiw, I'm in the U.S. I have a family and two young kids, so I'm not as mobile and flexible as a single guy.
Thanks in advance.
[Btw, I have searched some and found threads that answer some of the questions but was hoping for something a little more tailored to my situation.]
Should I seek any sort of formal education? Something online? Just self-teach and get certain certifications? Which ones?
I intend to check with some friends who have connections (either work in the field themselves or have some they work with who do). What can I do to get them to take me seriously? Are many positions available where you can go in doing grunt work and work up to the more demanding stuff (something like an apprenticeship)?
What are some online resources to either get acquainted with the field or to learn some of the specifics? I've been doing a lot of the lessons at codeacademy.com, but I'd like to have some other stuff I can pull from as well.
I was planning to stay in my current line of work until the time was right. I've considered doing odd jobs through guru.com or something like that to build a bit of a portfolio, though understanding the language and knowing what to do with it are two different things. Also, fwiw, I'm in the U.S. I have a family and two young kids, so I'm not as mobile and flexible as a single guy.
Thanks in advance.
[Btw, I have searched some and found threads that answer some of the questions but was hoping for something a little more tailored to my situation.]