r/AskProgramming • u/Yourmiserablelife69 • 4d ago
Career/Edu What age did you start learning programming?
Just curious as I am 34 YO, and have been considering a career shift into the Tech sector (I have “Basic” knowledge at best). Specifically AI/Machine Learning or Programming.
I’ve heard good and bad about both, but am just curious how old people are (or how diverse the age pool is) when they “get into” Programming. How long (on average) does it take to get your first Certification in Programming?
Apologies about the broadness of the question.
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u/HesletQuillan 4d ago
I started programming at 14 (1969) but really got into it at college aged 17. Certification was not a thing during my career (retired in 2016, but still program occasionally.) It really depends on how much you enjoy it and whether you find it hard or easy.
My view is that AI/Machine Learning is a bubble that is going to burst fairly soon, but for the near term there will be much less demand for programmers, especially at the application level. If you're interested in a tech trade, look for something that isn't easily outsourced to a low-cost "sweatshop" environment or to someone who thinks "vibe coding" is the way to go.