Skill Up at Any Age

Learn to Code at Any Age

Skill Up at Any Age

By definition, coding is a newer type of skill, accompanied by a brand new library of terms, technologies, and ways of learning. With the introduction of programming designed for children (such as Scratch), it is now common to see coding integrated into the curriculum of preschools and kindergarten classrooms.

Just as the learning format has been adapted for learners of a younger age, there's also been a movement of teaching seniors how to code. Older coders and computer programmers seek to develop new skillsets due to the changing career environment or want to start a second career. Coding is a great skill to learn as a hobby during retirement as well. The benefits span beyond technical skills - learning a new language helps to keep the mind fresh and further build cognition.

WHERE SHOULD SENIORS LEARN HOW TO CODE

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ACCELERATED LEARNING PROGRAM

Accelerated learning programs have no age cap. Some bootcamps have certain skill level requirements - meaning they're only intended for seasoned developers looking to amplify their existing skills. Other bootcamps have curriculum that's intended to build you from the ground up - no skills required. The best way to determine if you're a good fit for a bootcamp is to attend an online or in-person open house or info session.

A bootcamp also comes with some senior-friendly perks. Due to its immersive nature, a community is built, and students find themselves socializing (and networking) with their cohort members. Bootcamps also place a large emphasis on career services, matchmaking events, and networking opportunities - oftentimes working with students from day one to sharpen up their resumes or build their LinkedIn pages. Career help is a great benefit for seniors, as they may not be familiar with the new age of job-seeking.

A great place to start your search for a bootcamp is right here on the Skills Fund website. We work with only the best coding, UX/UI design, data science, and cybersecurity bootcamps.

Codecademy

Whether you’re trying to level up your career, build your side project, or play around with programming, Codecademy can be a good place to start. The online format makes it an easy, convenient way to experiment with coding. Explore their programs and courses, try an exercise or two, and join a community of 45 million learners.

HOUR OF CODE

Ask any computer programmer you meet about Hour of Code. Chances are, they used it when they were first starting out in the industry.

Through Hour of Code, community organizers host an hour-long introduction to programming. It's a great way to get to know your local coding community, and according to their website, the program is suitable for ages 4 through 104!

MOOC (Massive Open Online Course)

The internet is full of websites that boast a library of lessons on topics ranging from UX/UI design, to web design, data science and more. If you want to learn the fundamentals of a topic, or you're looking to decide whether or not to take the plunge into a bootcamp, a MOOC is a great platform to tinker around in. Check out Udemy, Coursera, and Udacity.

FURTHER READING

Originally published September 26, 2017. Updated May 6, 2019.