Programming for beginners: kick-start your IT career in the new year

Are you not satisfied with your job and the direction your career is going? Are you interested in the world of IT, but you lack the necessary experience in order to apply yourself in it? You still have a chance. You can start with programming at any time and as the saying goes, “if not now, then when?”

IT is the future

The IT sector is currently one of the most attractive industries and offers above-average salary conditions. Smart IT professionals are selling like hotcakes and there are still not enough of them. Demand always exceeds supply. Therefore, it is IT that is the right industry to choose for your career. That is, of course, in the case that you are inclined to technical and analytical thinking and you enjoy looking for solutions to problems.  

You can change your career at any time

If you are facing the decision of which university to choose from, you have several possibilities. You can study computer science at several universities in Slovakia that offer a number of interesting fields and specialisations. Among the best, for example, is the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava or the Technical University in Kosice.  

Where can you study IT in Slovakia?

University of Economics in Bratislava

Faculty of Economic Informatics

Slovak Technical University in Bratislava

Faculty of Informatics and Information Technologies

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics

Faculty of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava

Comenius University in Bratislava

Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics

Pan-European University in Bratislava

Faculty of Informatics

Technical University in Kosice

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics

University of Zilina in Zilina

Faculty of Management Science and Informatics

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies

This does not mean, however, that if you are already working that you do not have a chance in the world of IT. You can change direction at any time and there are various options which can help you with that.

How to start in IT?

Today there are countless courses and educational materials that can help you learn whatever you have in mind. Of course, IT is not the exception. All you need is a little determination, enough free time and some money to pay for the course and materials.

Because IT skills have a certain value, trainers have to dedicate a lot of time to you. It also the assumption that in the event of employment you gain an above-standard paid job, course prices can be higher – for intensive courses and in the line of hundreds to thousands of euros. However, if you really know that this is the direction you want to go, it is worth the risk because your future in IT is more or less certain.

Courses which are among the favourites are, for example, those from Webrebel, IT academy, Skillmea, Green Fox Academy, IT in course or Codecademy. You will find among them various IT fields, such as creating websites, programming in different languages, software testing, creating video games and more. If you do not feel like programming, this does not have to be an obstacle. The IT world also needs analysts, testers or network administrators.

You can, though, get a lot of information almost for free. It is not a problem today to find quality instructional videos, books and e-books. The important thing, however, is to practise the acquired information as soon as possible. For example, as soon as possible, start writing simple codes and do not wait until you are a theory pro. However, as a self-learner, it will probably take you longer and maybe you will lack the guidance and motivation to progress. Nevertheless, you know best which approach is more suitable for you.

How to choose the right direction?

It is often difficult at the beginning to decide which direction you want to take, but there is no need to pointlessly overthink it. If you are a beginner and would like to program, start with a language such as Python, which is one of the simpler languages and will give you a good foundation. Nevertheless, gradually you will find out that you need to master several of those languages and you will be able to learn each one more easily. Furthermore, you can specialise in different ways and during this journey you will find out what you really want.

If you need some advice in choosing a programming language, read our article where you will find out about the differences and usability of individual languages. However, in the case of studying IT, not only is programming language important but also foreign language. Most of the high-quality materials are mainly in English and, at the same time, you cannot do without English during the programming itself.

If you have some gaps in your language or IT skills, what better time to brush up on them than in the new year? New Year’s resolutions do not have to be just empty words and promises, but also that necessary push which moves you closer to your dream career. :)