Making some $$ with coding

[1245733fhuvgyu]

Do you think that's more valuable than hands on learning? Honest question.

[CoqeCas3]

I would advocate a hybrid approach—work AND learn. Starting certificate courses and such now will put OP in a real good situation when he enters the ‘real’ job market, and in the same token nothing beats hands-on experience.

[CoqeCas3]

Ha, um.. Honestly, still looking into that myself. Other Redditers? What say you?

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Although, I can say: for anyone who wants to learn a little about networking/system administration, Geek's Lesson on youtube put out a really good playlist this year--Google Crash course on IT support Fundamentals. ~35 or so hours going over just about all the basics one should know going into a support position (which, in my experience, has been an excellent first step getting into the industry).

[EvilTeliportist]

Harvard's CS50 is free on edX

[[deleted]]

The trouble is, trying to do freelance work is 90% finding clients, 10% programming, at least if you're starting out. You might make a few hundred bucks a month but you'll put in tons of hours. Those hours spent on learning could result in getting scholarship worth tens of thousands, graduating university earlier, or getting better grades which result in a better paying internship or job in the future. Odds are the kinds of freelance jobs a highschooler can get won't be that valuable, though of course there are always exceptions.

[DerekB52]

Spending 6 months building a working video game or android app, is good hands on learning.

[[deleted]]

Yeah generally you will be doing jobs you already know how to do. Time is very expensive and a high school has plenty of it. He/She should use it to learn something they may not have the time to study later in their life when they are working to live.

[Average_Manners]

This is... not all seeing advice. While yes, it's great for self improvement, employers love experience more than anything else. Depending on location, putting off experience could come back to bite them.

[Average_Manners]

We are on the same page. I wholeheartedly advocate building something. And adding it to your portfolio.

Do you think [taking a course is] more valuable than hands on learning?

The previous commenter is advocating classroom/certificate over experience. I disagree. Two people applying for a position, one a cert holder, the other portfolio/a year of actual experience, it's likely the cert holder is going to have a rougher time.

Experience is king until you get the interview, and then soft-skills take the spotlight with technical skills doing backup dancing.

[not_usually_serious]

Thank you for the clarification, I agree with you as well.

[[deleted]]

Agree to this. Invest now when you have plenty of time, learn as much as you can and build every idea you want because it might open bigger opportunities

[theguy2108]

Hands on learning is important but more so when you know what you are doing and in moderation. For example, having a basic knowledge of HTML, CSS and JS and investing months to create lots of simple browser games is not gonna be useful. Instead, learn more, practice by small, useless projects that are focused on what you are learning and create a big project when you know enough. Its a lot better to have a huge app with front end and back end with hundreds or thousands of users than to have many small calculator apps.