Student Question: I currently work in manufacturing at an entry-level position. I want to use my spare time to learn programming — partly to improve myself, and partly to set myself up for future promotions and raises. The situation is that I have absolutely zero programming knowledge. I also want to ask: if I learn programming and later want to relocate to a different city, would finding a programming job there be significantly harder? Product and operations roles seem heavily tied to specific companies and industries — but what about technical programming roles? Are they universally applicable across fields?
Master Chi’s Response:
- Why do you want to leave manufacturing in the first place?
The internet industry isn’t as booming as it used to be. Using programming to improve your current job performance is perfectly fine. But switching careers entirely is a different matter — there’s a lot to think through.
For instance, internet companies are concentrated in just a handful of cities. If you end up outside those cities, your growth in that field won’t be great. Choosing an industry comes down to what you enjoy, what you’re actually good at, and what fits your own situation. If you go into a field just because you heard it’s good, you’ll very likely end up as cannon fodder — because what works for someone else doesn’t necessarily work for you.
- Technical programming roles are highly transferable. If you know C++ or Java, for example, you can apply to any company in the world that uses those languages. (Your actual skill level, project experience, and language proficiency matter too, of course.)
That said, the internet industry is relatively less prosperous than it once was, and the entry bar has risen. Hiring generally prioritizes candidates with formal computer science degrees. Bootcamp graduates who fast-track through training programs also struggle to find work these days.
If you have a genuine aptitude for it, you’re willing to put in serious work, and your technical skills are strong — your career prospects will be solid. In technical roles, skill trumps everything. Background becomes irrelevant.