I am 25 years old, years are becoming shorter as life goes by..

I use to be heavy into IT related things. I have experience with some coding and tagging (HTML, php, Java) but kinda get overwhelmed with math.

It was hard for me to complete community college, but there has been some projects I have completed for my cousin when he tried pursuing a Project Management company that specialized in Web and Graphics. He no longer does any of that stuff and I eventually lost hope in finding a new IT related job.

Eventually I gave it up all together and started roofing. Roofing and Construction here in Detroit, Michigan isn't what I've always made it out to be. You have a lot of crooked business owners that demand back breaking work but don't pay what they say they'll pay. On top of it all, it's mostly under the table without taxes and no way of really proving your income and also no health or unemployment benefits. I've been roofing for 6 years now, and I am growing more and more distant from Programming and Web Development.

I did have a job for a few months as a Admin (More like assistant to Admin, but Admin was always in meetings so I did bulk of the work) for an Aerospace Machining Facility. There I imported and exported CAD plots (for programs like UGNX and Catia v4 and v5) using FTP programs they provided to me. I also help troubleshoot some of the networking that went on within the shop. Also a lot of data entry and emailing to clients. Clients included Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopter, and Hawker Beechcraft.

Right now, I am looking for some side work - possibly a full time opportunity. I am not roofing now, nor am I doing anything else. For the past 2 months it's been pretty much gaming and grinding product on eBay just to make ends meet. I'm trying to break this cycle and push myself back into a work type atmosphere. I may be roofing from time to time just to make some quick cash, but I don't plan on roofing my whole life.

That being said - What is a good code language that I could learn that could land me a nice job with benefits? I did say I sucked at math, but I didn't say I can't figure it out. I am a hard worker, I'm self centered but can work well with others. I like being in a team. I love to brainstorm, I've pulled all nighters brainstorming.


-Alex

Why are you convinced programming is right for you? Based on the michigan job market, you might want to consider moving out of state. you can do warehouse work, be a technical writer, etc. plenty of things you can do. You may be interested in web design more than programming. It's more of a freelance market where you can find your own clients and work part time / full time.

As for languages, java, javascript, swift/objectivec, etc are all fine. A lot of developers are self-taught, so it's not a problem if you don't have college experience. but to compensate, you'll need to create your own web app / mobile app / something to show potential employers your experience.

This post was edited by carteblanche on Oct 28 2015 12:45pm

Thanks for your input carteblanche. I really appreciate it. I just feel like somewhere deep inside me I have what it takes. Program has been something I've wanted to do for a long time, and you are right it's something that is self taught. I do have some community college credits in some areas. I failed my Java class and thought it might not be for me... but after looking into RateMyProfessor, I've learned that the teacher I had had like a 3 out of 10 star rating, and many other students agree'd that he really sucked at teaching. I was into Visual Basics back in high school and passed with a B, so I'm no dummy to computing.

I don't want to become a full on know it all with programming, but I want to learn the basics of something. I know how to take advantage of API and know how to look for what I need with research. Just something essential is all, I think I may look into becoming an Administrator for somewhere again, and thought it would be wise to at least know what I am looking at. Do people still use Ruby on Rails, or Python at all? And I don't think I'd consider moving from Michigan just yet. I live pretty close to Bloomfield and Troy which is heavy with a lot of Engineering facilities, the problem here is that most of them require a full out Bachelors degree in such concentrated areas. I am a diverse person, I don't think I could dedicate my self to something so precise. Michigan is not as torn as people believe it to be.

I do have a love for Biology, and feel like I should somehow integrate that with my IT experiences. Do you believe I am better off becoming a freelancer instead of shooting for long-term spot in some company?

I know I could google the definition, but in your words - what is a Technical Writer??

And what is a good approach to finding a group of freelancers to work with? I use to be apart of thebot.net and digitalpoint forum, but it seemed to be a joke with all the Euro-Asia cats that super under cut everything. Is it possible to just freelance there efficiently and make enough money to get by? Enough money in my definition is at least $1500-2000 a month.

Again, thanks for your time!

i suggested freelancing because of your first post. "looking for side work", being your own boss, alternating work with lots of time off. some people love being contractors, whereas others prefer the stability of full time employment. pick what fits your style.


Sure. I was using some python just yesterday for our django web app.


I have some family back in michigan, which is where i heard it. but it's been years since i talked to them. tbh you dont sound like a very competitive candidate for a city full of engineers.


I brought it up because i suggested it to my coworker who's looking for a career change. it was on a few list of "best jobs for career changers" with median salary around 65k iirc. they're the people who write manuals, documentation, help guides, etc. they tend to specialize in different areas. medical, legal, IT, etc.

keep in mind programming usually isn't a long term career for a typical person. There are outliers of course, but by your early 40s you tend to get phased out. you hit the salary limit in your 30s for your job title. so either your career stalls (think office space environment), you find a new job, become a contractor, or you move to management (if there's a spot available). i suspect very few people will retire as a programmer. my coworker is right around 40 now, and he recently left his other company because he topped out the salary for a while. he's a contractor now.

This post was edited by carteblanche on Oct 28 2015 01:34pm

MVC 5

.Net

C++

Java


get extremely good with one and have a job for life