Is it possible to learn programming without paying anything?

[{ Emilia }]

@Galactic Alignment

I have two things to say to you and since the banner under my name is green I strongly recommend you read at least the second point. The first has to do with the content of your topic, the other regards the tone.

1) Content:

You have gotten a plethora of helpful answers in this thread. The bottom line is this: Yes, it is possible to learn coding without going to school. In fact, I know a few professionals who make a good living and don't have a degree. A degree helps but it's not everything.

What you do need then is lots of enthusiasm and willingness to put effort into self-teaching. Generally speaking, you will not find people willing to train you for free. This will all be on you. There is no way around that.

The good news is: The very basics of coding are learned easily enough and you can hone your skills working on some projects of your own.
Some codecamps and similar sites also include programs that connect you with others to do specific coding jobs for organizations like non-profits. You will not earn money there, these projects are designed to provide both sides with something they need: practice on real-world application of coding skills for you and a working software for the 'client'.

Here comes the neither-good-nor-bad-news: Since you can't go to school again, the only way to make somebody hire you is to build a set of references, a little virtual box full of stuff you've created. So you can go to an employer and show them the projects you've worked on. This could also just be a particularly well-done github repository of course. Just something that proves you've done coding and know at least the basics. In the end, a lot of coding is learning on the job because no programmer leaves school knowing every programming language or every tool they might later need. In fact, it's not even entirely uncommon for a company to hire somebody who doesn't even know the programming language they want to use for a specific project but she has other skills and knows programming languages well enough to adapt.

The bad news is: This will be very time-consuming and you will spend many hours on it at first that you will not get paid for. No, there is no way around this.

Programming Languages:
Instead of asking people which language to learn and agonizing over why one might not be a great idea: Pick a language to start with, to find out if you even enjoy it. There's a good reason many people suggest Python since it's pretty logical and easy-to-learn. It comes with the added benefit of having a very amazing and rich learning infrastructure online, so you can actually learn it for free relatively easy.
And here's the deal: You will not stop at this language. Depending on what you want to do, you need to branch out anyway. Learning Python alone will only give you a very limited set of skills so you might end up wanting to learn about other stuff like databases (for sure, how aboout SQL?), web design (Ajax? Or starting with basic html and CSS?), mobile app development (Who doesn't love Swift?! ) and many many other topics. This depends entirely on what you actually want to work on. Again, this will involve a lot of self-study.

Quite honestly, there is only so much people can suggest to you on this site. It all boils down to: Pick a language to start with on one of the places people recommended and start learning. Then learn more stuff to see how it can interact with other kinds of systems like databases. Then build stuff you can show to potential employers. They won't hire you based on you saying: "Hi, I've learned this programming language." They want to see how you use it.


2) Tone:

Look at this colorful assortment of savoury tidbits:

No, you didn’t read what I wrote

EXPLAIN.

Please do not bother me any more with your smug bullying.

baiting

BECAUSE I CAN’T AFFORD TO. I AM S TARVING TO DEATH, I DO NOT HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS LYING AROUND

Can you not see that your tone is at the very least problematic, adversarial and incendiary?

It's not just that you're being defensive, you're actually being rude.

And now we get to the gem:

You really have the cruelty of a concentration camp guard. My great grandparents were likely murdered by people with your same mindset.

That is an ad hominem attack on @Dimesdan. You do not get to do that on this forum and don't expect any patience with shit like this. Hence:

WARNING FOR FLAMING. COMMENTS TO PM.

 

[{ Emilia }]

I've re-opened the thread. Behave, people.

This includes those who believe they were only reacting to passive-aggressive behavior. As an example:

You have basically started trolling (probably not deliberately but still).

We don't allow this on trekbbs. If you think somebody is trolling, report the post to notify a moderator and we will deal with it. Don't be the mini mod who tells people they're trolling. Consider this a friendly reminder. I get that the thread had escalated a little.

 

[Finn]

I'm tired. I worked hard to get where I am....and still waiting for a teaching job. I never once ranted about it in my fourteen years here. I've seen a lot of bullshit...but...eh well. I may be on the verge of a teaching job this coming fall. Great...oh well.

 

[Galactic Alignment]

@Galactic Alignment

I have two things to say to you and since the banner under my name is green I strongly recommend you read at least the second point. The first has to do with the content of your topic, the other regards the tone.

1) Content:

You have gotten a plethora of helpful answers in this thread. The bottom line is this: Yes, it is possible to learn coding without going to school. In fact, I know a few professionals who make a good living and don't have a degree. A degree helps but it's not everything.

What you do need then is lots of enthusiasm and willingness to put effort into self-teaching. Generally speaking, you will not find people willing to train you for free. This will all be on you. There is no way around that.

The good news is: The very basics of coding are learned easily enough and you can hone your skills working on some projects of your own.
Some codecamps and similar sites also include programs that connect you with others to do specific coding jobs for organizations like non-profits. You will not earn money there, these projects are designed to provide both sides with something they need: practice on real-world application of coding skills for you and a working software for the 'client'.

Here comes the neither-good-nor-bad-news: Since you won't go to school,

HOW DARE YOU! You saying “you won’t go to school” frames it as a personal choice. I HAVE NOT MADE A CHOICE TO NOT “GO TO SCHOOL”, I LITERALLY CAN’T AFFORD TO. BECAUSE ELQ RULES I CANNOT GET FUNDING TO TAKE MATHS GCSE, MATHS ALEVEL THEN ANY UNIVERSITY COURSE FUNDING AT ALL. I WOULD *LOVE* TO RETRAIN AND DO COURSES IN THIS, BUT THERE IS NO MEANS TO AFFORD IT, I WOULD MUCH RATHER RETRAINIGN AND EDUCATION WAS PROPERLY FUNDED SO I COULD LEARN THIS AND GET THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR WORK IN CODING AND PROGRAMMING

 

[{ Emilia }]

HOW DARE YOU! You saying “you won’t go to school” frames it as a personal choice. I HAVE NOT MADE A CHOICE TO NOT “GO TO SCHOOL”, I LITERALLY CAN’T AFFORD TO. BECAUSE ELQ RULES I CANNOT GET FUNDING TO TAKE MATHS GCSE, MATHS ALEVEL THEN ANY UNIVERSITY COURSE FUNDING AT ALL. I WOULD *LOVE* TO RETRAIN AND DO COURSES IN THIS, BUT THERE IS NO MEANS TO AFFORD IT, I WOULD MUCH RATHER RETRAINIGN AND EDUCATION WAS PROPERLY FUNDED SO I COULD LEARN THIS AND GET THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR WORK IN CODING AND PROGRAMMING

No, I did not mean to imply it's a personal choice.
To me, the sentence "I won't be a millionaire tomorrow" doesn't mean I choose not to be one.

It was a simple statement on what the future is most likely going to look like for whatever reason. I've changed my wording to "You can't go to school again", happy now?

I also love how I wrote a reply full of helpful tips and then told you to moderate your tone. And your response to that is a raging all-caps post because you misunderstood the intent of one single line of my post.

If this continues, I have more predictions about the future, mostly regarding your immediate future on this site.

 

[Finn]

HOW DARE YOU! You saying “you won’t go to school” frames it as a personal choice. I HAVE NOT MADE A CHOICE TO NOT “GO TO SCHOOL”, I LITERALLY CAN’T AFFORD TO. BECAUSE ELQ RULES I CANNOT GET FUNDING TO TAKE MATHS GCSE, MATHS ALEVEL THEN ANY UNIVERSITY COURSE FUNDING AT ALL. I WOULD *LOVE* TO RETRAIN AND DO COURSES IN THIS, BUT THERE IS NO MEANS TO AFFORD IT, I WOULD MUCH RATHER RETRAINIGN AND EDUCATION WAS PROPERLY FUNDED SO I COULD LEARN THIS AND GET THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR WORK IN CODING AND PROGRAMMING

Dude....calm down!....the mod of this forum was quite nice and reasonable. Take her advice to heart. Calm...Down...

 

[{ Emilia }]

Dude....calm down!....the mod of this forum was quite nice and reasonable. Take her advice to heart. Calm...Down...

I know you’re trying to help but please keep the modding to the mods.

Just try and stick to the topic of the thread. Assuming there’s any hope left for its survival.

 

[DonIago]

Um. In before the lock?

 

[rahullak]

@Galactic Alignment
Two options that I see:

1. Learn by self
2. Be taught by some person

You've indicated that learning by self when it comes to coding/programming is difficult for you since your background is different.

So the remaining option is the second one. It's been pointed out that no one is going to tutor you for free. So this seems difficult for you too since you mentioned you have money constraints.

Do you see a third option?

 

[Jedman67]

I've played with a computer-game scripting language on and off over the years. Haven't dedicated more than the odd hour here and there but enough to recognize a bit of code. If you want to learn any computer language in order to get a job in the field - be prepared for long, hard hours of review, practice, practice again.
The good news is that if you pick a project; to throw out a college example, of a DOS ping pong game (or anything you'd like, really) you can start assembling a portfolio to show potential employers; a "live" resume if you will.

In addition, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss self-employment or freelance/contract work. It can help provide you some supplemental income if you're between jobs or to help you cover some of your expenses if your primary job isn't as high as you'd like.

Good luck.

 

[Crazyewok]

BTW I realise now that I’ve fallen for the “got a degree in Subject X? Get a job using Subject X” baiting. My degree is of little use and I WANT TO RETRAIN!

Well sorry but it is not society's fault you picked a useless degree. UK society gave you a choice to train and get a good degree and you blew it . So any future effort will have to be on your own part and as everyone else has said you got two options.

1) Pay for a new degree. Which as you state is out.

or

2) Learn on your own.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

or

3) Seek independent career advice.

It's not easy to assimilate programming skills if one's maths skills are weak. Some research has also indicated that very good programmers are often proficient in foreign languages - possibly because their brains are naturally wired to process variant syntax and grammar. Even if one does have aptitude, there's no guarantee of a well-paid career if there are multiple applicants for every suitable job. That drives down salaries and makes it easy for an employer to replace weak or uncooperative employees. The most successful (in terms of income) programmers I've met have been the ones that had niche expertise - they also tended to be contractors. It also depends on the phase of the economic cycle and one's location, of course. Silicon Valley seemed to employ just about anyone when I was there, even after the dot-com bubble burst.

 

[Crazyewok]

or

3) Seek independent career advice.

It's not easy to assimilate programming skills if one's maths skills are weak. Some research has also indicated that very good programmers are often proficient in foreign languages - possibly because their brains are naturally wired to process variant syntax and grammar. Even if one does have aptitude, there's no guarantee of a well-paid career if there are multiple applicants for every suitable job. That drives down salaries and makes it easy for an employer to replace weak or uncooperative employees. The most successful (in terms on income) programmers I've met have been the ones that had niche expertise - they also tended to be contractors. It also depends on the phase of the economic cycle and one's location, of course. Silicon Valley seemed to employ just about anyone when I was there, even after the dot-com bubble burst.

If your maths skills are weak then there probably isn't much point going into programming until you make them "unweak" as the bits I do here and there game modding involve a lot of math.

Going into programing weak in maths is like going into medicine weak in science.

My guess is programing is just not the best fit for the OP and they need to find something they are suited for.

 

[Galactic Alignment]

or

3) Seek independent career advice.

It's not easy to assimilate programming skills if one's maths skills are weak. Some research has also indicated that very good programmers are often proficient in foreign languages - possibly because their brains are naturally wired to process variant syntax and grammar. Even if one does have aptitude, there's no guarantee of a well-paid career if there are multiple applicants for every suitable job. That drives down salaries and makes it easy for an employer to replace weak or uncooperative employees. The most successful (in terms on income) programmers I've met have been the ones that had niche expertise - they also tended to be contractors. It also depends on the phase of the economic cycle and one's location, of course. Silicon Valley seemed to employ just about anyone when I was there, even after the dot-com bubble burst.

I do need careers advice, but advisors usually charge up to £100/hour, and you have to pay upfront many hours first, so I’m stuck. There is the free National Careers Service, but I’ve had my 2 available appointments – they were utterly useless too, absolutely apparent they were not able to deal with graduates. Their advice seemed to amount to, move to London and get something like bar work (move to the other side of the UK to the most expensive part of the UK to do minimum wage work?!). So yes, I need careers advice, but it’s out of my price range other than the useless free government service.

 

[Crazyewok]

I do need careers advice, but advisors usually charge up to £100/hour, and you have to pay upfront many hours first, so I’m stuck. There is the free National Careers Service, but I’ve had my 2 available appointments – they were utterly useless too, absolutely apparent they were not able to deal with graduates. Their advice seemed to amount to, move to London and get something like bar work (move to the other side of the UK to the most expensive part of the UK to do minimum wage work?!). So yes, I need careers advice, but it’s out of my price range other than the useless free government service.

All I am hearing are excuses.

 

[Galactic Alignment]

All I am hearing are excuses.

What, excuses that I can’t afford private careers advice? Google how much that usually costs in your part of the woods and tell me that’s affordable on a low income. And as I said, the free National Careers Service isn’t geared up for anyone who has GCSEs/secondary school level qualifications or above.

 

[rahullak]

So the third option is also a no-go.

Do you see a fourth option?

 

[Galactic Alignment]

So the third option is also a no-go.

Do you see a fourth option?

Well, as I said, the free National Careers Service is geared towards people with no qualifications – they don’t know how to deal with graduates. And you only have two appointments and you’re done, so I’ve used up my allotted usage, and it was terrible advice.

 

[Crazyewok]

There is a 4th option. Do some gig work like cleaning or bar work and scrape together enough money for private career advice!

 

[Galactic Alignment]

There is a 4th option. Do some gig work like cleaning or bar work and scrape together enough money for private career advice!

I am continually applying for work already. Do you know there’s a global pandemic going on, there aren’t even many jobs to apply for at the moment? Do you know what a recession is? We get those during Tory governments and lots of unemployment, just like now. Save up for private careers advice, not possible on the super-low paid work you’re suggesting.