Becoming a coder has become an extremely popular career choice in the UK over the last decade. There is a huge demand for skilled developers that it likely to increase year on year. It’s never too late to start learning to become a coder, and similarly, you can start from a young age too… and FunTech is very much at the forefront of that, with the coding courses we run for kids aged 7 to 16.
Kids who start to learn coding early will stand a better of chance of becoming a coder early on in the careers. As part of the job, they will become responsible for designing, building and maintaining software applications and systems, and will be essential to the functioning of modern future society. There’s no doubt that the UK tech industry is thriving, with London being the largest tech hub in Europe, so there will be plenty of opportunities for those who want to become coders over the next decade.
As well as encouraging kids to enrol in coding courses such as the ones we offer, there are other routes that will help them to become a coder too. As kids get older, they could go to university and study computer science, software engineering or a similar subject. Whichever route you choose, it’s important to have a strong foundation in programming languages such as Python, Java, and JavaScript.
These foundations can be achieved with FunTech courses where kids can learn the basics of coding including:
Programming languages
There are many programming languages available, each with its own syntax and purpose. Some popular programming languages in the UK include Java, Python, and C++. All of these languages can be mastered with FunTech holiday camps, and then progressed further with our term time classes which are conducted online, and after school
Understanding the basics of coding is essential for anyone who wishes to become a coder in the UK.
Educational pathways
In addition to the FunTech courses, as kids get older, they should be encouraged to developer a strong foundation in computer science and programming even further. There are several educational pathways available including university degrees, coding bootcamps, online courses and tutorials, and self-learning resources.
A university degree in computer science can be a good pathway to becoming a coder. Many employers look to people who have a degree in computer science as this shows they have a strong foundation in programming, algorithms, data structures, and software engineering.
Building your practical skills
As well as educational paths and coding courses, you can become a successful coder by building on your practical skills, no matter what age you are. Having practical skills that can be applied in real-world scenarios will make you a far more valuable resource to companies seeking programmers.
To help you achieve this, you can develop practical skills is by working on personal projects while experimenting with different technologies and programming languages. Personal projects can be anything from building a simple website to creating a complex mobile application. This gives coders hands-on experience and improves their problem-solving skills in situations they might not be exposed to in education or a work environment.
Contributing to open source projects is another way in which coders can improve their practical skills. Open source projects are typically collaborative efforts where developers from around the world work together on a project. This will give you valuable experience in not just working on large-scale projects, but also on how to collaborate with other developers which you will need to do once you have a job.
Hackathons and coding challenges
Hackathons and coding challenges are events where coders come together to solve problems and build software solutions. These events are a great opportunity to build practical skills and network with other developers. Coders can work on challenging problems and gain experience working under pressure.
But nothing really beats real-world experience of working as a coder for a company. Gaining experience isn’t always easy, but there are ways in which you might be able to get your foot in the door…
It could be internships, freelancing, part-time positions, or offering to solve a problem for free. We don’t usually advocate working for nothing, but if competition is fierce, being able to show you can fix a small problem might be worth your while.
Job search strategies
Coding jobs are set to increase, but so are how many coders there in the UK. Special consideration needs to be given to how you craft your CV, networking, using job portals, and preparing for interviews. We won’t go into details on how to do that, as there are some fantastic websites which you can get advice from including YouTube videos.
If you are a kid who wants to know how to become a coder in the UK, some of this advice might seem like it’s something you will be doing in years to come, and you’d be right.
So, our advice for you today, is to enjoy coding.
Coding should be fun.
And that’s what sets FunTech apart from many kids coding classes. To find out more, please visit our homepage and explore the forthcoming summer coding camps and after school online classes we offer.
And you never know, in years to come you might look back on your time with FunTech and see how it set you on the path to becoming a coder.
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