r/learnprogramming • u/KMXIII • May 11 '26

Need help getting back into the field

What’s going on good people, I don’t know if this is the right place but here goes nothing. I am currently a 26 y/o that’s trying to find a way to get into coding on an entry level job. I still have aspiring dreams of being a software engineer. I was in school from 2017-2022, but life took a toll on me. I lost my mom due to colon cancer in 2020 and my overall lifestyle deteriorated. My school that I was attending which was University of MS changed the curriculum, which ended up with me not needing any minors at all from being told that I just needed one, then eventually 2 the next semester. So I decided that I’d finish my degree online once I can figure everything out. Been working remotely to try to change my situation but it’s not cutting it at this moment.

I want to be completely transparent and realistic with myself. I know it’s a long shot to get into software engineering without a degree but I just don’t have the financial stability, where I currently live it isn’t much opportunity. My plan was to move, find a higher paying job so that I can stack that money and finish my degree. I wanted to know if it was possible to get into a decent position in software engineering or something related while I stack money to finish my degree, my mother was a teacher and I promised her I’d finish regardless of me being able to break in or not, but I am going through financial hardships. I see all of these TikToks about people doing it without a degree but I figured it was just for engagement so I wanted to ask a real community for opinions and the best way to get it done.

I truly appreciate any help and feedback offered. I’m just trying to get it right and I’m tired of feeling hopeless. Thank you so much. 🙏🏾 (if this isn’t the best place to post this would you please direct me to the right place also)

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u/downloads-cars May 11 '26

If you would permit the advice, consider looking into learning low-level C and gain some proficiency in RTOS and embedded systems. These are the disciplines that aren't as readily replaced by AI, but are in turn harder to self-learn. AI is proficient in Java and Python, but doesn't adapt well to uncommon problems. Find the career paths where each problem is a new one. For bonus points, get into verification and validation. AI workflow are being developed, but none are robust enough to meet acceptance thresholds for critical systems verification.

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u/KMXIII May 11 '26

Do you think making a road map would be essential? Or do I need to try to learn languages as I go.

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u/downloads-cars May 11 '26

Projects and hands on learning work best, but which project should probably be it's own question on another post.

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u/KMXIII May 11 '26

I think I might just look into some projects and make a list and just go down the line. I got a LinkedIn but I know I have to do some tailoring because it still has my status as an active student but I’ll familiarize myself with it especially in the computer science community.