Stage 1 · Lesson 1 of 7
How long a switch really takes
Most people who switch while working or studying take between one and two years. That is from their first lesson to a first paid tech role. The maths is simple.
A first role usually needs several hundred hours of learning and building. At 10 hours a week, that is more than a year before you even start applying. Full-time study makes it shorter, but it also uses up your savings.
Knowing your lets you plan money, family time and checkpoints (dates when you stop and review your progress). The rest of this roadmap helps you do exactly that.
Common trapbelieving adverts that promise a job in twelve weeks: they assume full-time study, say nothing about the job search, and push people into quitting too early.
A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 1 cheat sheet entry come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it
Resources for this stage
Start with
- BookFreeHow to Learn to Code and Get a Developer Job
freeCodeCamp (Quincy Larson) · Beginner
Free book by someone who switched in his thirties: skills, network and reputation built in parallel
Keep handy
Also worth your time
A short, realistic look at what moving into software from a non-technical background involves
- The Pragmatic EngineerGo deeper
How hiring in tech is changing right now, when you want the wider market picture