The Journey to Becoming a Web Developer
“I couldn’t stand how the people in my previous industry were being treated, with irregular working hours and how demanding it was,” says multimedia designer turned front-end web developer Jason Yeap. The 25-year-old describes his work life as akin to that of a doctor on call for extended periods in a hospital, having to respond to client-requested changes at a moment’s notice. For Yeap, who had already been working for two years prior to the pandemic, the subsequent MCO (movement control order) was the turning point where he decided to make a change.
Recognising the greater stability and better potential for career progression as a web developer, he opted for self-education, turning to online courses instead of a college to build the skills necessary for a new profession. Despite having no formal education in computer science, Yeap used his self-taught coding skills to become a web developer. “It was worth it for me, since I treated it as an alternative to going back to college again for a proper certificate. This meant that I did not have to shoulder more college fees to get started,” says Yeap.
Setting a course
One of the most recognised entry-level courses is Harvard’s CS50: Introduction To Computer Science, which is offered by the university itself and the NGO freeCodeCamp. According to bootcamp instructor Daren Tan, the CS50 online course is a good resource for beginners venturing into learning coding and web development, but he notes that the two online platforms employ distinct teaching approaches.
“Both the C50 course from Harvard and freeCodeCamp are free, self-paced courses that touch on similar technologies and come with their own certificates upon completion,” he says.
Lessons to be learned
Although online learning tools are readily available, the absence of direct guidance poses a hurdle that students must overcome. Yeap says, “With the lack of a mentor available to assist you when you run into a problem while learning, it can be quite challenging.” Yeap mainly searched for free coding courses or purchased those that were on discount.
“The idea was to do project-based learning instead of being stuck in tutorial hell,” he says, referring to learners who solely code within the confines of tutorials without venturing into creating something new from scratch.
Task-oriented learning allowed Yeap to familiarise himself with coding languages and best practices, aiding him in building projects for his portfolio.
Career crossroads
According to Tan, there are numerous instances of people successfully making the switch to a tech career. “I strongly believe that as long as you have the passion, put in the time and effort, and do not give up easily, anyone can do it,” he says.
Experts believe that a candidate’s industry portfolio carries more weight than their educational background, whether obtained through traditional means or online courses.
Shane Mun, founder and CEO of Vimigo, a human resources consultancy and management software provider, believes that a candidate’s industry portfolio carries more weight than their educational background, whether obtained through traditional means or online courses. “Qualifications serve to prove that a candidate has the right skill set, but not their willingness to actually use them and contribute to your company. There are a lot of youngsters who did not study in university but have a lot of amazing skills, even without formal courses.
