Changing Careers? 37 years old

[hditano]

Hello everyone. At the moment I’m studying HTML/CSS/Javascript, even tho i already knew something with C#/Python and Java and did some small projects, i gave up the Colt-Steele Udemy’s course due to my hating for the DOM (around march) (I’m more a backend person, rather than a Front-End (visual) person.
Never got into those, for whatever reasons. I understand that in programming it doesn’t matter the language, but i found out that so far JavaScript felt the one i liked it more.

At the moment, I’m working as a Supervisor/Key account Manager on a Major Airline in my Country. Always had this thing about programming, but never got the time to put into it. Lockdown has been crazy in my country. In fact ended about a few weeks ago, so i had lots of spare time to learn a lot. Started with the #100DaysOfCode challenge, did some 3D Modelling in Blender, Substance Painter, Substance Designer , etc.

I’m 37 years old, been working in the Airline industry for the past 12 years or so. Never limited myself to Customer Service, but also into the technical stuff of it. (Maintenance, Flight Dispatch, Load Manager, Flight Manager and tools there are used right there). In fact my brother works as a Technical Product Manager in one of the major DCS Companies in Europe. So got lots of tips and know-how things work inside software development in that area.

It seems Junior positions are kind of hard to find, even harder for someone at my age. Any successful history on someone like me who changed careers this later?. Should i focus on making a Portfolio with tools that will make things easier on my knowledge area? (Airliners, Customer Service, etc.) so I could take advantage of my know how in the industry not as a coder, but as a career enhancer?

Thx!!

[miku86]

@hditano

I’m 37 years old, been working in the Airline industry for the past 12 years or so. Never limited myself to Customer Service, but also into the technical stuff of it. (Maintenance, Flight Dispatch, Load Manager, Flight Manager and tools there are used right there).

So you put a lot of time to develop these skills. I think it will give you a big head start if you try to connect your programming to this.

@hditano

Any successful history on someone like me who changed careers this later?. Should i focus on making a Portfolio with tools that will make things easier on my knowledge area? (Airliners, Customer Service, etc.) so I could take advantage of my know how in the industry not as a coder, but as a career enhancer?

Sure, there are some cherry-picked examples.

My best idea is to try to put in around 10-20 hours per week to create your developer skills while making some money from your day job. If this is too hard for you, try to reduce your day job hours a little bit.

From my experience with career changers there is not much upside from going from 15 to 30h per week, because of Parkinson’s Law. I see this all the time on the FCC Discord where some folks hang around all the time instead of doing the actual work. So I would not quit my job for making this career change.