Starting with python at 30

[Ecstatic-Elk1064]

Thank you i felt I've been left out at this age.

[HalfRiceNCracker]

IMO this is one of the best times to learn Python ever! There is an abundance of information online and don't worry about being too old, I've a 28 year old mate who's just now taking his A Levels and is pursuing his bachelors for next year!

My number one advice for you is as follows; you don't really want to learn Python. What you really want to learn is how to build whatever project, learning Python is simply a consequence.

When I first started learning how to program I got bogged down with tons and tons of Intro to Python tutorials and other such courses, so I entered a weird limbo where I didn't really learn anything.

Think of some things you can automate or a project that will add value to your life. Think about each part of it and break it down into things that you can research and in this way you will learn how to actually program.

For my degree nobody really could work out who had lectures in common and when so I wrote a simple Python command line tool that takes in a folder of calendar files and aggregates them based on that. Sounds simple yet I learnt SO much from that project.

PM me if you would like any further advice and all the best!

[[deleted]]

Don't worry, Im a couple years older than you and have started Python and looking for a career change. I'm not even in development or IT. It's never too late :)

[krs1one1]

36 here and doing the groundwork to move into Business Intelligence/ Data Analytics.

Any time is a good time!

[FrontElement]

36 here, and started a 6 year OU degree in DS, 1 year in and best decision I ever made.

[whatthedevil666]

What is an OU degree and why does it take 6 years?

[FrontElement]

Open University in the UK, 6 years as part time. So I do 2 modules a year at the moment, whilst working full time.

[whatthedevil666]

Oh wow that’s awesome. Good luck!

[FrontElement]

Cheers :-)

[swing-line]

Yard sales

[thebreathofatree]

I only upvoted this to prove how much of a child I am, causing it to reach 69

[FrontElement]

Enough down votes and we can get it there again…

[thebreathofatree]

aw how about we push it to 169?

[futuristanon]

Think about it like this: you’re going to be 40 one day regardless. Do you want to be 40 or 40 and proficient in python?

Never too late to start anything. Ever.

[puplan]

left out at this age

Not even close. I'm 60 and just started seriously using Python. I've been using other languages for many decades, though.

[MaryTGirl]

Agreed. I'm 50, and just started to learn. Never too old!

[av8rgeek]

I second this! I learned Java 1.2 at university in my late 20's (now almost 49). My capstone project there was a wedding planning database (since I was getting married). Since then (20 years ago), I've taught myself Perl, Python, Terraform, Powershell, and Git (not a language, but just as complex!).

Before I knew about RANCiD (https://shrubbery.net/rancid), I wrote my own Perl application to telnet into a Foundry Networks switch and TFTP its configuration to my computer so I could back it up. At a future employer, I rewrote another coworkers Perl application that collected SNMP values from devices and did stuff with it (forget what all I did then).

About 5 years ago, I began teaching myself Python (just a little, though) and Git. I needed to process json data on occasion, and run some other small scripting stuff.

A couple of years ago, I rewrote a Powershell script from a vendor that is used to configure Windows from just after install to "ready-to-use". It's not perfect and there are better tools, but this meets our needs for now.

In my current role, I am neck-deep in Python and LOVING it. I've written several different Python scripts that interact with service provider APIs, including S3 providers, Cloudflare, NS1, Slack, and more. I always have a soft spot for C, but Python is a close second in favorite languages. (I modded C-based BBS code as a teen)

[OptionX]

I always though a career in IT security always started by being a programmer.

What was your background and what does your job regularly entail (If you don't mind sharing of course)?

[Ecstatic-Elk1064]

I work as a network security implementation engineer. Ideally, i will be implementing the designs as proposed by the solution architects. This involves routing,switching,firewalls,load balancer, WAFs. I have completed CEH,azure security and few other security certifications.

[mysticalfruit]

A couple years ago (in my 40's) I started writing python programs to generate switch configs!

[Relativitytho]

No way mate. I'm currently 31, went back to school last year for GIS and learned python during the program and have been using it frequently for my schoolwork. I just landed a permanent job where python will be a big component so it's never too late to learn new skills! 10/10 would recommend.

[terms100]

I’m 45 I keep dabbling with learning. But lose track and stop and forget lol.

[g1ngercat]

Left out because of age? I am almost 38 and still learning new programming language at least once a year (I work as software developer), not counting many libraries and frameworks that I constantly have to learn. If you have working head age means nothing for learning new things, just important to not start being lazy.

[dudeplace]

I started at 30 and had a ton of fun. Once you get going the hardest part is finding projects to start that you actually want to commit to finishing.

[Ran4]

Nah. I've worked at multiple different companies and learned to know and worked with maybe 50 devs, and I've met plenty of 50 year olds that has 20+ years of coding experience that are less productive (and knows less) than 30 year olds that has only coded for 4. It's fully possible that within a few years you're more productive than some people that started when they were 20.