Thinking of a career change but not sure if programming is for you?
Learning the basics of a programming language can improve problem solving skills, encourage creative thinking and increase efficiency when working with technology.
Not only is learning to code a great way to enter into Scotland’s thriving tech industry, it also offers great benefits to any computer user looking to gain new skills, knowledge or experience.
Best of all, you don’t need to be a maths genius or have a fancy degree to do it; all you need is the willingness to learn and a passion for technology.
There are plenty of great websites out there to get you started on your journey to becoming a coding whizz but here are 9 top resources to help you on your way.
1. Codecademy
A great place to start your coding journey is with online education provider, Codecademy. Not only is it easily accessible with all course material available online, Codecademy’s hands-on interactive nature makes for an engaging learning experience. If that isn’t reason enough to give Codecademy a try, to top it all off, it’s completely free.
2. Khan Academy
Like Codecademy, Khan Academy is a free online learning resource. Khan offers a personalised learning experience by enabling you to build your own dashboard, share your creations with others and most importantly learn at your own pace.
3. MIT open courseware
MIT open courseware is an online publication of course content available through MIT. Their Introduction to Computer Science and Programming course is aimed at students with little to no experience and is a great place to start for those looking to learn the basics of the Python programming language.
4. Udemy Courses
Udemy is an online learning marketplace with a great selection of both paid for and free course materials, including a variety of courses for online web development and programming.
5. EdX
EdX is an open source online learning community founded by colleges and universities from around the world. It offers a wide variety of courses from verified institutions from which you can earn certifications to highlight your new skills or even gain university credits.
6. freeCodeCamp
Learn to code whilst also doing something good in the world. freeCodeCamp is an open source community where you can learn to code, build your portfolio and help non-profit organisations with their coding needs. It’s a win win for everyone!
7. The Odin Project
The Odin Project is a project based open source curriculum developed by web developers for Web developers. With the Odin Project you will have access to great resources, work with like minded students and build a portfolio of projects to help get you started in web development.
8. MIT App Inventor
The MIT App Inventor is a beginner’s introduction to programming and app creation. The cloud-based tool will guide you through the simple steps to building your first app right in your web browser including how to set up your mobile phone for live testing.
9. Treehouse
Although this is not a free course like some of the previous examples, Treehouse is a fast, easy, and affordable way to start your coding journey. Offering a variety of resources on web design, coding and more; Treehouse features clear, well explained videos created by experts.
Try CodeClan
If you’ve been inspired to start your coding journey, why not take a look at what we have to offer here at CodeClan.
Not only are we the first UK digital skills academy to be approved by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) but our close relationships with some of Scotland’s leading employers will give you the opportunity to network with the people shaping our industry.
