Hi! I’m Bao the creator of AllAroundProgramming.com. I am a “self-taught” Software Engineer and currently working for a few years now in Southern California.
I stress the word “self-taught” because:
1) I do not have Computer Science degree from a 4 year university.
2) I did not attend any coding bootcamps.
I’m here to share everything that I’ve learned about programming. Everything from technical skills to soft skills that I wish I knew when I first started on this journey.
I’ve made plenty mistakes myself when I first starting to program. I didn’t know where to start and I was hopeless bouncing between different websites. Hopefully you can avoid the mistakes I’ve made when you begin to learn how to program.
My goal is for this blog is to hopefully provide useful information while you are learning to program. I am a strong advocate of affordable education for everyone. It is my mission to guide you and help you find the the most effective resources out there in an efficient, no BS matter.
Where it all began
6 years ago, I had zero intentions of becoming a Software Engineer. I was, in fact, trying to get into medical school. I was so invested into medicine that I couldn’t see myself in any other profession.
While I found that serving my community fulfilling, I felt something was missing. Working in healthcare requires a lot of mental fortitude and I wasn’t sure if I wanted in the medical field for the next 40 years.
Computer programming was something I never thought I’d work with as a career. Switching careers simply doesn’t happen overnight and I had plenty of doubts. I don’t even have a single CS course under my belt, much less a 4 year degree. How do I stand out from candidates who do have Computer Science degrees?
One of the first programming projects was, believe it or not, creating my own blog from scratch. By doing this, I was forced to learn front-end, server, and database development. While I never completed the project, the process of learning along the way and searching for questions through forums helped developed the skills I needed to become a Software Engineer that I am today.
Why Programming?
Learning to program has turned my life around and I know it can do the same for you as well. The tech industry is one of the most lucrative industries out there and now more than ever there is an increasing demand for Software Engineers, with the job growth expected to reach 22% by 2030 according to the U.S. Labor and Statistics Bureau.
Learning to program opened path to new jobs and financial freedom
Now more than ever, our daily lives are highly dependent on technology. Businesses of all sizes are now realizing that an online presence is CRUCIAL to a business’s success. Every business small and large are looking to go online and with that the demand for Software Engineers are sky-rocketing.
And with high demand comes with high salaries.
And the best part?
You can start your tech career without 4 year degree or a bootcamp.
That’s right.
No need to spend thousands of dollars on tuition towards a degree.
No need to spend thousands of dollars on a bootcamp.
My first lessons were free HTML tutorials were online. W3Schools was one of the first online academies that I used to first learn about HTML. Some additional resources that I’ve used personally and would highly recommend
Why I created this blog
One of the most difficult steps in a journey is the first one. And if you’ve read this far, I hoped I’ve nudged you enough to take that first step and get you started on your journey to career in Software Engineering. Learning to program has provided me financial security and allowed me to spend time with the people I care about and I am sure that it can do the same for you.
I’ll help you narrow down the skills necessary to get started in a career in Software Engineering and not have to waste time going through trial and error like I did. And once you get there, I’ll show you not only to make a living, but thrive.
Whether you are learning to program for fun, as a side-hustle or as a career, I’m confident that this blog will provide value to you. If I do it, you can too.
And the best tip I can give for you is: enjoy the learning process and programming is truly a never-ending learning experience. If you embrace learning as part of the job, then Software Engineering is for you.
Best of luck and happy learning!
-Bao