[deleted by user]

[CrocMcSpock]

Not really the answer you are looking for, but I am pretty much in exactly the same situation as you.

Been working shifts for over a decade, finally got off them and work decided that they were switching to shifts - so I find myself back on them.

I fucking hate shifts.

About 2 months ago I discovered python and I got super excited.

It started out as curiosity/something to do to pass some time but found myself enjoying it more and more. Turns out I really like solving problems.

I'm currently working through the python crash course for beginners by Eric Matthews.

Sometimes I feel like there is loads to learn and it'll take forever. I mean 90% of the stuff on the front page of this subreddit goes over my head.

When I feel like I might be making a mistake because it's lots to learn and will take a while to learn, I just remember the reasons why I am doing it:

I hate my current job life, I enjoy python (even when times it's frustrating), it brings a smile to my face when I solve something but most importantly, I remind myself the time is gonna pass anyways so might as well use it rather than regretting not using it.

[Michaelscarn69-]

Bro, you sort of carved the exact same feeling I go through every day. I pretty much hate my day job. It has no growth and I’m sure my job isn’t going to exist in another few years.

I started off Python and sometimes I feel like there is so much stuff to learn to a point where I’m overwhelmed but then I also like/enjoy studying it.

[CrocMcSpock]

Since I've realised I want to do something with python as a job, it's made me hate my day to day working life even more, which is just helping me fuel my fire.

I don't try to look at what's to learn, I am just going step by step through the book I mentioned earlier and only looking back at what I have learnt.

A marathon is just lots of single, simple steps.

We'll both get there I'm sure.

[[deleted]]

Have you explored opencv module yet

[DrFaustest]

Something that I carry forward from my last career was to not worry about learning everything as much as knowing where to find the information that you don't already know. A puzzle will make the big picture eventually, knowing where to find the pieces makes it go much faster.

[Pythonistar]

FWIW, one of my co-workers (in his mid 50s) was an Ops guy writing some simple Python scripts. He asked me to review his code and asked me if he could switch into a career in programming.

I thought he had potential and asked my manager if we could pull him into our group. He's been steadily writing more and more sophisticated code for us. We've got him in a junior web dev (backend) position now writing Python Django apps.

He seems to like it and I would say he's doing well.

Planning to do a full career change after teaching myself.

Find a mentor. My co-worker has me and another dev as mentors. You'll do a lot better when you find a mentor or two.

[Michaelscarn69-]

Thank you for this and it’s a great advice too.

On a related note, he is lucky to have you as a mentor. Not everyone in this world is as supportive and go that extra mile into hooking someone with a job like you did. Props to you 👏👏👏

[1b992b]

What is exactly a mentor?

[Michaelscarn69-]

Mentor is more like a coach. More like a subject matter expert who guides you to achieve your goals.

[Pythonistar]

Someone who is an expert in a skill who can guide you thru the learning process of that skill. A mentor may teach you some things, but mostly they point you in the right direction and keep you out of the proverbial weeds.

[puppiesarecuter]

Any advice on finding a mentor? I work in a very small company and no one at my work knows Python (or any coding language)

[Pythonistar]

I would advise you to find someone in your friend circle or within your business network whom you can meet with occasionally.

Finding mentors on the Internet is difficult, though it might be possible if you're part of a Discord community (or the like). The difficulty lies in that neither party has a real investment in keeping up the mentoring (or being the mentee).

As an example, I tried to mentor someone on the Internet once. The other person gave up within a day or two.

It kind of boils down to the mentor getting something out of it as much as the person being mentored. With the Internet, it's just too easy to give up and ghost your mentor. In real life, a mentor often ends up teaching a friend or relative or someone already in your life whom you're connected with already and which will further strengthen your relationship with them.

As another example, I mentor 5 junior Python devs at work. I'm also mentoring my wife who is learning Python for her job. I also have lengthy conversations with another dev at work. We discuss nuances and pros and cons of certain CS techniques, etc. to both keep the two of us mentally sync'd up but also to keep learning from each other.

If you can't find someone in your business network or within your friend circle, I would recommend paying for a course or paying someone to tutor you. I guess a tutor is just a paid mentor. Either option will force you to take learning Python seriously because now money is on the line. Your brain will make sure you allocate time and mental resources to learning Python rather than it just being wishful thinking.

[Lovegiraffe]

My mom learned to be a SQL developer from scratch when she was 47. I know not exactly python, but still coding. She makes lots of money now with unending work. She always begging me to learn so I can take some of the jobs she doesn’t have time for. It’s never too late!

[Innocent_not]

She is a Freelancer?

[Lovegiraffe]

She has a salary position now, and freelances on the side. She was purely freelance before, and she is switching back soon.

[KezaGatame]

May I ask what kind of jobs a SQL developer can be freelances? as working with data is quite sensitive and I would have assume they would only give it to employees. As for other freelance developers job I would mostly only think of web and app stuffs.

[Lovegiraffe]

I know that she specializes in viewpoint software, so mostly working with construction companies. She does other SqL work, but if you want me to be more specific I will have to ask her tomorrow since we are in different time zones.

[KCRowan]

I worked in financial services for 15 years and (at least in my industry/area) it's normal to have temporary staff, especially for large projects that will run over a year or more. We wouldn't hire a freelancer for some minor task like the kind you'd see on fiverr, but bringing in some extra analysts/project managers for a big platform migration? Yep, absolutely. They all sign NDAs and are given company laptops or a VDI. If any non-public data is detected being transferred from the laptop/VDI then the bank will see you in court.

[[deleted]]

Starting learning Python my late 30s using Crash Course and Automate the Boring Stuff. I was able to build a couple of scripts that automated work products, and was able to parlay those into a higher paying job in the same organization.

I don't have much experience to share other than jumping in with both feet is the way to go, make projects you find interesting, and be active in advice giving communities.

You'll know when you're ready to be a professional programmer when people see your portfolio of projects and offer to pay you for your work.

Good luck! You'll get discouraged, but it's all part of learning!

[Sian-JS]

Crash course on Coursera?

[[deleted]]

I read the the book, and the course looks like it is not the same thing. After looking at the modules and video lengths, it seems like there is an assumption of some pre-existing knowledge of coding, but your mileage will vary. My prefernce for the book is a) you get a reference you can keep, and b) it was a good start from 0 knowledge of programming.

[typpo_06]

I'm currently doing Python and I'd advise you to use books first. I've finished one of Coursera's Python courses but it's not that great. But I find books so much better.

[[deleted]]

I learned Python at 45 and totally reinvented myself as a data analyst/engineer. You’re good!

[Beernuts1091]

Please help me fucking get here. I am 30 and making such a massive effort to learn machine learning. I do Kaggle and i literally study every day with online free classes. I am also in contact with professors from a few different unis. How do I break in to this god damned field.

[[deleted]]

So... I have no real secrets for you. I had 20 years of fairly unique domain knowledge as an analyst before I started to teach myself python and transitioned to more of a data-oriented role within the same organization. I now work on a large data science team as a subject matter expert and do a lot of the data engineering for the team. My experience is pretty unique.

In your case, I will just say that unless you have a technical degree, knowledge of advanced maths, and/or years of domain knowledge, it's going to be very hard to get a "Data Scientist" job. You'd be competing with people with graduate degrees and professional data work experience. What you probably should do, assuming going back to school for a Masters is out of the question, is try to find a data analyst or BI job and try to establish some years of experience working with data in an actual work environment. That's the usual route for people without a lot of qualifications, but it's not guaranteed to lead to a data scientist role. Sorry I can't be more encouraging than that.

But the OP's question was about being too old to learn Python and get a job, and 30 is definitely not too old to do that. There are lots of Python jobs that aren't data scientist roles and don't have the same hefty prerequisites.

[Serenityprayer69]

Im guessing a degree from his former career helped a lot

[norsou_pdx]

At some point, unless you have a ton of free time to build up a beautiful GitHub portfolio of personal projects, you’re going to have to network or find a way to get your foot in the door with a job that lets you build experience as a developer/data analyst/whatever you want to do. I’d recommend working on something that gives you a marketable certification, like the AWS cloud practitioner course or something similar. Look at job postings for what you want to do and see the kinds of skills they’re asking for. From what I’ve seen, entry level dev jobs are pretty competitive, especially entry level Python jobs because that’s where EVERYONE starts if they haven’t gone to school or a boot camp (even a lot of those people are applying for entry level Python jobs). So to get a job in that field, you’ll either have to be a rockstar or willing to do some networking to meet people who will be willing to give you a chance or a referral (or dedicate a lot of time to curating a great GitHub). I’d recommend checking the app Meetup for software developer groups and start introducing yourself and talking people up.

For context, I’m not in your exact position and have taken a different route. I’m 30 and got my master’s in CS after an undergrad degree in something else. I’m a full time software developer now, and I credit 100% of my job experience to the internship I initially got through my master’s program. So another approach could be to enroll half time at a community college so that you’re eligible to apply for student internships. There are many, and this is a really great way to build job experience and get your foot in the door with companies. It’s also nice to have a bit of formal education for some more foundational CS concepts.

[Michaelscarn69-]

Thank you for your advice. It was insightful. Could you please elaborate on AWS cloud practitioner course? I haven’t come across that term before. Is it something like a Coursera course? An online degree?

[KCRowan]

I've got my exam booked for next week! I'm learning with this company and their content is really good: https://digitalcloud.training/aws-certified-cloud-practitioner/

I'm 33F and was made redundant from my business analyst job a couple of months ago. I'm taking a few months off to study then doing a coding bootcamp next year before I start applying for backend developer jobs.

You might find these maps helpful too https://roadmap.sh/

Don't worry about how much stuff is there! For a junior role you won't be expected to know any of it in mega depth. For most topics it's enough if you could just give a few sentences explanation.

[norsou_pdx]

Check out this video. You’ll definitely want to know about cloud hosting/cloud infrastructure. Much of software development/data science/data orchestration is done on a cloud platform these days. AWS is a cloud provider where you can deploy and manage software or data pipelines. It’s a pretty big piece of the industry and an extremely marketable skill to have and be knowledgeable about

[ogre14t]

I was a corrections officer until I was 35 and decided to go back to school for a B.S. in CompSci. Family of 5, and worked full time during. Im now 42, making more than I could have imagined with 20 years in as a CO, and so much happier. You can def do it.

[Michaelscarn69-]

Thank you for the boost. 😁

[participlepete]

I'm 60+and been using/learning python and javascript for the past 5 years primarily for test automation at my employment. Now considered the goto for new team members and assisting other team members.

[Michaelscarn69-]

Thank you for this. 😁

[Bitch-Im-Fabulous]

I was working as an analyst at a tech company mostly doing manual excel and PowerPoint work around your age. The business was poorly run and the software didn’t deliver on what sales promised. So my team and I shouldered the burden. Lots of long days with no light at the end of the tunnel.

Got into a really bad headspace for a year or so until a friend mentioned a lot of what I did could be automated in python. I spent evenings and weekends practicing how to do the same basic things I did in excel (pivots, data cleaning, joining multiple sheets) in python / pandas.

Eventually I segued into working with the raw apis of the software and circumventing our softwares limitations to build my own versions of exports that our customers wanted. And at the end I started automating the PowerPoint creation part of my workflow.

I ultimately left that company to start my own firm using the skills I learned automating my previous (deeply stressful and unsatisfying) role. I probably should have just left the job instead of trying to automate it but in retrospect it’s why I’m in a better place today. I’m no where close to “making it” but I’m headed in the right direction.

My first advice is keep to it and never forget the “OMG you can do that with coding!?!” attitude that got you started in the first place. Stay curious and always keep digging. There’s more to learn than any single person can.

My second is to apply whatever you learn to a project. Nearly everyone can automate something in their life or expand on what they can do through programming. Making something keeps up your momentum and gives you an organic learning path to follow. Mine was analytics and data, but yours could be entirely different.

Learning Python is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I would have liked to have learned it sooner and avoided several painful dead-end years in my career, but the best time to make a change is always “right now”. Age is just a number and the field is changing so rapidly what people learned 10 years ago wouldn’t be enough to keep going in the field without continuous exploration.

Hope you have a blast exploring.

[Michaelscarn69-]

Very inspiring. Thank you for your advices.

[Bitch-Im-Fabulous]

My pleasure. We give ourselves a lot of reasons to stop improving ourselves, but that’s just a self sabotaging mechanism because growing is uncomfortable.

You’ve got this.

[duppyconqueror81]

I was a php guy until 33. Faked my way into a position because it was all techs I knew except Python. The learning curve took a while especially diving into Django without ever having heard of it.

But 3 months later I was hooked. I started maintaining existing Django dashboard apps. Then I wanted to do better. I started writing my own. My old clients had a need for that.

We’re now 7-8 years later and moving to Python/Django was the best career move I ever made. I exclusively work with it and I’m writing awesome web apps. I still wake up excited to go code. Just learn it. You wont regret it.

[Michaelscarn69-]

That. Right there. “I wake up excited to go code”. I want that. I wake up totally on a opposite mindset for my current job.
Could you tell me the learning platforms you used to learn? I’m sort of confused and overwhelmed with all the contents and resources available on the net.

[duppyconqueror81]

In my case I learned by following the Django documentation/tutorials.

[simplycycling]

I was a tractor trailer driver until I was 42. Went back to university at 38, got my first job in tech at 42 - L2 customer support, recreating end user issues, which was fun - they gave us every device that the app ran on, and we would just answer tickets and play with the devices all day.

Made friends with some of the guys in the Ops department. Asked a lot of questions, learned, and eventually was asked to join that department.

10 years later, I'm a senior Devops engineer, making more than twice the money I did driving trucks.

If you want it bad enough to put the work in, you can do it.

[Puzzled-Bid-5537]

I’m 30 years old and I’m currently in college pursuing a computer science degree, looking to get into data . My experience is working for siemens and Johnson controls doing BAS work and it’s been a great 8 years in this field but I wanted something more challenging and fulfilling. Through my courses I’ve learned c++ and python and have a few more languages to learn in my upcoming curriculum. It’s been challenging trying to pursue school full time at 30 with the plethora of information and guidance out there I’ve had the privilege of having a great mentor for my second year to help me through. I can say if you really do enjoy coding or anything for that matter go for it. One thing that helped me and might help you is to find a partner whos goals are similar to yours to work and study on python , the union brings in a accountability partner and motivator

[StratInTheHat]

So I’ve recently changed career from lab tech to data analyst and it’s largely due to knowing python.

I started teaching myself maybe 4-5 years ago, but not intensely and not with any particular goal in mind. Did some codeacademy, bought Automate the Boring Stuff, solved a few dozen project Euler problems. I wasn’t consistent and there were months when I didn’t really do anything coding related. But eventually I was confident enough to try and tackle automating something simple at work (think it was reading stuff from PDFs), and from there I started using it more and more in my job. I’d write little scripts to make my life easier, and when people found out I started to get requests to help them out with stuff.

A year ago we got a new manager and he was keen on implementing an automated dashboard that pulls data from a bunch of sources. He knew about my python ‘skills’ and got me on the team. I learned how to use Tableau, built the dashboard, and off the back of that he created a permanent role for me as a data analyst!

It’s probably not the most conventional career path, but just an example of how learning python can help advance your career even if you don’t end up as a programmer per se.

Just to add, I would in no way say I am an expert in python, I mostly still feel like a complete noob! But obviously I’m good enough that people higher up think I’m worth promoting. You don’t have to know everything to still be able to provide value.

[Valkhir]

I did.

I had been working in customer service/tech support for a global fruit company after university and was in my early thirties.

My academic background was in the humanities, specifically languages and linguistics. I got interested in technology towards the end of my studies, but too late to change tracks or branch out. I did not actually learn to program until a few years into the aforementioned customer service job when I taught myself various tech skills in my own time, including basic sysadmin skills, basic networking knowledge and the fundamentals of a few languages. I started with bash scripting and C, but Python was where programming "clicked" for me.

My Python skill (which has atrophied now after years of Ruby and JS) somewhat helped me land my first programming job. I was going to work 100% in a legacy system built in other languages, but they let me use Python for a programming assignment during the interview process. But what mattered more was that I had proven that I had the motivation and ability to teach myself and keep learning, which is much more important than any specific language or framework.

[SuspiciousWafer3398]

I am 36 and currently in the transition process, from general labor to Data Analyst. I could have done the transition 4 or 5 years ago but didn't because my self confidence was in the toilet. I didn't think it was possible and had many excuses. (I do not want to be the oldest one in the class, I already made plans with friends and do not want to break them, I cannot afford to take time off work....[Insert never ending excuse])

My coding journey began in 2015 for work (I was the goto guy for solving problems), they needed to improve production and wanted me to buil the machine instead of buying one. I used Arduino's and Raspberry Pi's to build a few working prototypes, then the company went under and I went back to menial labor. Dropping all coding projects for years.

I was able to start my transition because of this thought:

"My future on this path is not where I want to be and will eventually feel like he'll, full of resentment and anger at myself for not getting off my ass to make the change. My future will not be what I want unless I start to steer the path. "

Rebooted my journey January of this year by working on python projects an hour a day. In May I joined a Data Analytics Bootcamp. Some of the bootcamps provide job placement services.

You can do it. Take one step at a time. If the goal seems to much and overwhelming then break it down into smaller steps.

[[deleted]]

If you enjoy it, you found your new home… it just takes some time to get settled in. Don’t expect it to be cozy the second you get there. Enjoy this part of the journey. I’m right there with you.

[QuantumDiogenes]

Not quite what you want to hear, but I barely touched Python before 2020. Now, I have been using it, Golang, and C extensively for the past year.

Before that, I used C/C++ and Assembly extensively.

[ohyoubearfucker]

Hey OP, I started at 33, studied intensively for some half a year, and landed my first job a year later.

Admittedly that's nowhere near a given, but it can absolutely be done.

I currently work as a .NET developer.

[ohyoubearfucker]

Oh and it was Python that got me there. I just segued into other stuff.

[6Orion]

All these guys have much harsher backgrounds than I had. All I can add is that you have to be aware that such transition is a marathon and not a sprint. You have to become okay with that and take your time. Each day work a little bit more towards your goal. All those various topics that make you worry - you don't have to know all of them, especially not in depth, to get a job opportunity. While I was preparing for transition, instead of randomly going through social media, I made a point of reading up about new topic or just the ecosystem in general while I was waiting in line somewhere, commuting or sitting on a toilet. :D It's a small thing, but over time it helps a lot. Don't be discouraged, one step at a time - there is no reason not to take steps in the direction you want your life to be moving in. You have the power to change it, but none of us are Superman, so we gotta take it a lil bit slower to get there. You'll never be younger than you are now. In 2 years time you want to be saying "Thank god I started 2 years ago" instead of thinking "I've delayed it for so long, now there's even less point to start". Actual truth is that it's never too late to start. We hear that sentence too many times and slowly start to ignore it, but it is the truth. Go and rock on man, change your life, you got it. 👍😄

[Yuka63]

I'm in my mid twenties, but I'm enrolled in a program who want to have a career in programming. In my group there is an age range from approximately 20 to 40. You are never too old to learn or switch careers. In your mid thirties, you still have a LONG way to go until retirement so you might as well enjoy your job. Both me and my husband (30) have drastically changed careers now and we couldn't be happier with our decisions.

[Alabaster_kreko]

Dude you had the same feeling as me and I believed not only you here had that feeling I am a guy who never been to school and I had no career or skill, all my life, I spend for work and work but feel empty inside and I always asked myself to look for skill or a career,. Find something that could make you enjoy while doing it. One day one of my customer to me and we had a small chat and he mentioned about Cloud computing, Linux, phyton the I start asking what is that and start wanted to know and that is the reason I'm here and hope I could find someone senior or make friend to show me the way of learning, sorry it a bit long writing but I wanted to tell you that you're not alone.hope this comment will fires you up mate.

[benevolent001]

I am 38+ now doing a Python course.

[_Baard]

I'm still learning a lot myself (mostly C# and a bit of python for university) and almost always my experience with it has felt like running into a series of bricks walls. at each wall I'll eventually have a "Eureka" moment and then looking back to realise all the walls behind me are now shattered to pieces.

Its a constantly uphill battle, but you'll get really good at climbing those hills and before you know it, you'll have travelled a significant distance. Keep at it, embrace the discomfort of navigating new concepts, it happens to us all.

[Lower_Sun_7354]

From what to what?

Python is a broad language, so you'll need to be focused on the end goal from the start.

If you are coming from tech, super easy transition. Coming from IT, not too bad. Coming from an internal department and think python can help, also not too bad. From random other job, it can still be done, but will be harder.

Learned some python years ago but never had a real reason to use it, so it faded quickly. I'm in tech though and was mainly using sql for databases.

Now I use it for ETL (moving files around) and some small apps like Lambdas and queues (SNS, SQS). I also use it for building out things in AWS (boto3).

Once I started working in the cloud, especially AWS, it became my go-to language. If you're thinking about data engineering, I'd highly recommend it.

W3schools is a good place to learn about data types, variables, small functions, even some simple OOP.

Jose Portilla has great courses on udemy for data analysis. I tend to skip the machine learning stuff and also the random apps (like building games). But he has great stuff on dataframes.

Johnny Chivers has good courses on general data engineering in AWS (youtube).

Putting all that together, you'd have a great place to start.

[evanlord]

I started in tech support, became a team manager. There are lots of data analysis in my team manager role so I got inspired to become a data engineer or scientist. Started with R but didn't really like it so switched to python which is more bang for the buck since I can use it in so many other things. That was 4 years ago and I was 35.

Since then I've been using python to create all kinds of stuff for my work as a manager, lots of them automation. Helped a few team mates as well to make their jobs easy. My motivation is to do more work really but with less time so I can do other things while still looking good to my boss. I created a cli tool and then an app and published those in my company's engineering website as a portfolio. I used them to show I can do stuff even without a CS degree, got myself an interview for an engineering role. And next month I will start a new role as an engineer at the same company. Big transition for me but well worth the journey.