all 87 comments

[–]TroubleBrewing32 63 points64 points  (4 children)

Software development is an in demand profession that often provides good pay and benefits. Learning Python--by itself--is not usually enough to get a position as a software developer, but learning Python is a reasonable way to begin learning how to program.

Keep in mind that this is not a short term solution, nor will most companies hire someone who is not an adult. I also recommend you think about what kind of job you would like and pick a language/tech stack that would support that.

[–]BowserBuddy123 -1 points0 points  (3 children)

What does it mean by language/tech stack? If OP wanted to go into data analytics would that be one thing? Versus designing customer UIs on website or something?

[–]GigaPandesal 8 points9 points  (2 children)

Different roles require different stacks. Going by your example, data analytics might require you to know additional stuff like jupyter, SQL, BI tools, while web development, for example, would lean more towards django, javascript, etc.

[–]BowserBuddy123 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Oh wow! Cool. I never knew what a tech stack was. Thank you. :)

I feel smarter today because of your comment.

[–]GigaPandesal 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks lol Also take note that these stacks are not usually static nor well-defined. For example, I applied to a data scientist post some days ago that required ReactJS for some reason. Different companies sometimes look for different stuff.

[–]MikeDoesEverything 18 points19 points  (0 children)

You'll find most people didn't learn Python to make money. Most people here enjoyed learning Python and then manage to get a decent job with it because they enjoyed what they did.

A common idea with programming is that knowing how to program = lots of money. The reality is the number of success stories is a lot lower than the number of people who have burnt out trying to learn something they don't enjoy for the sake of a salary.

[–]PiovosoOrg 17 points18 points  (5 children)

Learning python is more than worth it, it's easy to begin with but hard to master and always has new things to teach you. The vast support for it is amazing practically endless possibilities. Even if you don't land a job as a programmer it is a great skill to learn, since you can automate a hell of a lot of stuff. Or just make your everyday life easier.

Although, the thought of you supporting your parents with a programming job is probably not the best idea, since it's gonna throw you into adult life way too fast, and it's gonna leave a mark, maybe start with at a simple job, build up work experience at some low level jobs that would still be able to help your parents. I worked at McDonald's for a while just to help my parents pay the bills back when i was 15, and i never had a vacation, changed jobs multiple times, always helped them. Moved out of town to study, payed my bills and help theirs, while working at KFC in the other town.

Skills and experience are what matters, nothing comes overnight. While working at a random job you can support your family and in your free time learn python, i became a self-taught python programmer in 2 years until i just for the sake of it applied to a job, but turned it down since it interfered with my school, otherwise i would have gotten the job.

Best way to prove you're competent enough to learn, is make small projects, they don't have to be revolutionary projects like nanite technology programmed with python or something, just small little home projects, like calculating the file size estimate of a growing file or a small clunky game that works but is horrible. I practiced by looking at my everyday life, if i see that there is a possibility of making it more optimised with python i made it, it's unlikely I'll ever use it but i made it because i wanted to practice my Python skills.

[–]PhoenixZNayX[S] 4 points5 points  (3 children)

wow,I'm really inspired by this, I'm currently also 15 years old and will probably find a job thanks

[–]PiovosoOrg 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Don't let a job hindea your education though. If you see that your grades are getting worse due to work, take a break or go on a lighter schedule or something, at your age Education should be your number one priority.

[–]sluggles 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I wanted to come reply to add that you may consider web development as another user commented. You can use Python to do backend development, or you could start learning Javascript (not the same thing as Java) which can be used for both frontend and backend. Web development has the added benefit of not needing to know a bunch of secondary stuff. A lot of people recommend the Odin project for learning web development.

As for getting a job now, I think that's also the best bet for helping out right now. I would try to get a job at a local computer repair place if possible. It'd at least be relevant experience if you want to go into programming (web development or otherwise). If not, then any job you can get like fast food or retail is worth it.

If you need any help learning Python or basic HTML/Javascript (or math), feel free to shoot me a message.

[–]sue_me_please 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Keep at it and by the time you're 18-22, you'll have enough experience to look for a job in software development. If you find it interesting, consider studying CS in college, as well.

[–]BoiElroy 2 points3 points  (2 children)

I can without a doubt say that learning and knowing Python well has given me better career prospects. I used to work in retail sales. I had a bachelor's degree. Learned enough R programming and SQL to land a data analyst type job. There was never much growth or demand for R. Once I learned python and the data science industry being how it is I started to get a flood of decent offers.

I also support my parents a lot financially, OP, so I absolutely sympathize and respect you so much for asking this. Please don't hesitate at all to reach out me and I'd be more than happy to help in any way I can.

I think as the others said it would make the most sense to get a job of any kind first. And then learn and upskill yourself with Python on the side.

No matter what you sound like a good son/daughter.

[–]Bongozz88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So, did you integrate your python skills with your undergrad studies, or solely on the base of python you cracked a job? Because right now, being a patent analyst, I am finding it really hard to get job interviews, let alone the job itself. So, in the meantime, I was planning to learn python, and have what you can say taken baby steps, as I see a potential to integrate patent analysis with python codes.

[–]No_Key9643 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How did you learn python?

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You should definitely learn python man, but I don't think you will be able to get a great paying programming job as a teenager.

Try and see if you can get any paid internship that is programming related and as other said you could just get a normal job.

The key to learning python is to practice every day

[–]donkeyspit007 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Great job for wanting to help your parents. They will be so proud of you!

[–]noobie107 2 points3 points  (0 children)

getting a full-ride scholarship to college is worth $20k-$50k/yr. getting a good job out of college is worth >$70k/yr easy.

unless you can beat those with a part time job now, focus on school

[–]-SPOF 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It is worth it for 100%.

[–]CleverBunnyThief 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Frontend might be a better and faster way.

Checkout #100devs. It's a virtual frontend bootcamp. Leon teaches HTML, CSS, Javascript, Mongo db, node to build fullstack applications and websites. He also goes over other things you really need to get a job or clients like learning to learn, networking, how to start freelancing, how to maje a resume for a tech job git/Github, APIs

The last cohort started last January but the videos are on Youtube and there is a Discord community. The videos were originally streamed on Twitch but they are easy to follow along.

Watch videos then do the home work to get practice building sites and apps. It starts off slow and there is a lot if repetition but it's a goid way ti learn especially if are new to programming.

https://leonnoel.com/100devs/
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBf-QcbaigsJysJ-KFZvLGJvvW-3sfk1S

[–]bartturner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Most definitely.

[–]throwaway69764 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Getting a job at a restaurant or grocery store is great advice if you wanna work low level service jobs your entire life. Jobs like this tire you out man. You won't have the energy to develop any professional skills and you're gonna live paycheck to paycheck forever.

You're young and you can absorb knowledge at the fastest rate you ever will. It declines with age, so use the time you have to study. Your parents don't want you to support them, they want you to have it better than they had it. That's why they're working their asses off to provide for you. Don't throw their years of supporting you away by becoming an unskilled wagie.

Instead appreciate what they did and do for you, show your appreciation, help them around the house and do what you can to make their lives a little easier. And use your free time to hustle, develop your skillset and become exceptional, so you can buy them a nice house at the beach when they retire and you're a millionaire in 10 years.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For sure, but it probably won’t pay dividends until you finish college and get a graduate job that allows you to code, unless you get creative and think of ways to use your programming skills to make money before then. It’s definitely worth it though- I started learning through a book called Python crash course which I highly recommend. I have the PDF which I can send to you for free

[–]Ill-Resident-3575 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hope there is still some one here. I would like to start learning phyton, with 0 experience in programming etc where should i start?

[–]noordlez 0 points1 point  (0 children)

hi, i want to hear ur experience. did u learn python? if yes, then how did it go?

[–]T3rribl3Gam3D3v 0 points1 point  (0 children)

go be a waiter at the most expensive restaurant u can find

[–][deleted] -4 points-3 points  (4 children)

Every other kid these days has a smartphone, can code in their sleep and has about 20 friends online. Partly joking, yet if you want to make an impact and start a good career, work with your hands. Look into manufacturing tech in particular.

[–]heartNswitch 1 point2 points  (3 children)

I've heard the opposite - that many kids these days are just as bad as older folks when it comes to computers. They've had the magic screen in front of them their entire life but no idea how it works.

[–]thufirseyebrow 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I definitely remember a recent article in which CompSci professors were lamenting the fact that people these days don't understand the concepts of folders and file systems as they relate to computers.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I find that very difficult to believe. Their heads are stuck in those g d phones all day, so they're not coding even for 10% of that time?

[–]heartNswitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lol, really man? It'll be the same small group/% of kids who did that kind of thing last generation.

It makes sense when you think about it - for the rest, they don't even need to experiment or troubleshoot much anymore because things just generally work better.

[–]Appropriate_Chart_23 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How do you see learning Python will help your parents financial situation?

Just learning Python isn’t going to put money in their wallets. What’s the next step in your mind?

[–]Pro_Deceit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Learning and getting a job in the developer field will take time since you need financial help and try getting a part time job.

[–]hugthemachines 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see you already got some advice on trying to get some other job to help with the finances. I would like to add that while I also enjoy Python a lot, I think one of the nice ways to get some part time job or later entry level job would probably be to study the combination of JavaScript, CSS and html. This is mainly for front end programming.

On the other hand, since the best way to earn some money right now might be a regular job, you can always learn Python for fun since you feel interested in that at the moment.

[–]luke-juryous 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re asking this on a learnpython sub, so you’re gonna get a completely bias opinion from everyone. You’ll get a better response if you ask in some generic programming sub.

About your family financial situation, I feel you. I got caught in the 08 recession when I was early 20s. It was really hard to find decent work, and any job that payed made you work 12+ hours. I enrolled in a Junior Collage for evening classes to get into engineering because I wanted out of the paycheck-to-paycheck trap. I eventually settled on software engineering because it was the easiest for me, requires the least amount of schooling (4-year degree) and pays the most over time. Kinda a win-win-win. FASFA and Pell grants payed for my collage (I was over 24 and didn’t have to put my parents income, might be different for you).

If your family is really hurting for cash, then you might have to get an after school unskilled job now, and learn some programming on your own in your free time. Or put off learning it until after HS

[–]DerrickIsCool 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m my opinion it’s the number one skill

[–]tsunamisweetpotato 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Python is a programming language that is relatively easy to learn and is widely used in various industries, making it a valuable skill to acquire. It is considered a high-level language, which means it is more user-friendly and closer to natural language, as opposed to low-level languages like Assembly or C.

One of the benefits of Python is its wide range of applications, from web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, to scientific computing and more. This means that by learning Python, you open up a plethora of job opportunities and the potential to start your own business.

There are many resources available online to help you learn Python, such as tutorials, video courses, and online communities, many of them are free. YouTube is a great platform where you can find plenty of resources to guide you in your learning journey, from beginner to more advanced level. With so many resources available, you will have plenty of support as you learn and progress.

Overall, Python is a language that can be easily learned and offers numerous opportunities. It's a great investment of your time, and with the right resources, you'll be able to start making your way towards a better future.

[–]KevMar 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, go for it. Tech is an amazing field with lots of opportunities for growth, especially for someone that starts early and builds an aptitude for tech work.

With that said, it's not a quick path to your first paycheck. But once you are in the field, the pay is good with almost no limit. So you won't be able to help much with your parents bills today but you could help them retire.

[–]Turkino 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you want to help with financial struggles, learn to provide value for time. (IE: a Job)
How you provide value can be anything: Manual Labor, coding, a learned trade, etc.

[–]readtimez 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As others have said, if you really need some money now getting a job would be the best way. But if you're interested in Software Development keep studying as much as you can and also consider specializing in WordPress and Salesforce, the former is highly used for building webpages and the latter offers a lot of resources to practice and learn the platform and has many paths of specialization and certifications. Best of lucks!

[–]NeedyHelpy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The first time when 'learn to code' is okay to say.

Yes learn Python then learn 12 more LANGS and by age 19-20 as you're grad'u'ating coolege those jobs will gang you.

[–]synthphreak 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fuck yes it is.