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How to become a software developer

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How to become a software developer

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” answer to the question of how to become a software developer. Everyone is different, and everyone starts at a different level, which is great news because it means there are various paths you can take to reach the same destination.

Some people start with a foundation of technical skills or a little knowledge of coding. Others start from scratch. No matter where you start, there are several ways you can gain the required skills and knowledge you’ll need for a career in software development — and we’ll show you how. But first, you need to know what kind of software developer you want to be.

3 questions to help guide you on your path toward becoming a software developer

There are three questions you should ask yourself to determine your path toward a career in software development. These questions are:

  1. What type of work do you want to do?
  2. What technical skills do you have now?
  3. What kind of organizational culture do you prefer?

There are many different types of software developers, and each has its own specific skills and responsibilities. For example, front-end developers require a different tech stack than back-end developers — but more on that later. Once you figure out what kind of software developer you want to be, you can assess the gap between your current skill set and the skill set you’ll need for the role.

Next, ask yourself what kind of company you want to work for. While discussing how to get a job as a developer, front-end engineer Pat DePuydt explains how roles vary depending on a company’s size.

Software developers at start-ups with limited staff often take on a variety of tasks and projects. At a larger company, you’re more likely to have a specific task or specialty.

Try reaching out to developers at the companies you want to work for and asking about their experiences. You can also read employee reviews on sites like Glassdoor. When you start interviewing, ask your interviewers questions about the workplace that’ll help you decide if it’s the right place for you to begin your career as a software developer.

What skills do I need to become a software developer?

Software developers need both technical and soft skills. Technical skills are those you’ll use to build programs and applications. Soft skills are those you’ll use to collaborate effectively with teammates within and outside of your department.

Technical skills

Regardless of specific roles, software developers need to be familiar with:

  • Command line
  • Git
  • Application program interfaces (APIs)
  • Programming patterns (e.g., object oriented vs. functional programming)
  • Text editor

Along with the technical skills listed above, software developers also need to be proficient with programming languages like Python or Java. The specific languages they’ll require will depend on their specialization, but most languages’ utility can be expanded with frameworks and libraries.

Soft skills

Software developers also need to have softer skills that will come in handy when working with their team and writing code. These skills can include:

  • Excellent communication
  • Methodical commenting within code and documentation outside of programs
  • Creativity when developing new apps and websites
  • Problem-solving abilities both for debugging and for solving business problems with code

After you’ve made a list of a few companies you’d want to work for, take a look through their job postings. Job postings will have more information on the specific languages and tech stacks they use, allowing you to tailor your learning plan to include those skills.

What does a software developer do?

Xavier, one of our Senior Software Engineers, sheds light on what a software developer does. As he explains, software developers “build digital products, database programs, and computer systems for businesses by applying different kinds of programming languages to user-focused applications.”

This is a great summary of a software developer’s responsibilities, but as we explained earlier, their specific duties vary depending on what kind of developer they are.

What types of software developers are there?

If you’re having trouble figuring out what kind of software developer you want to be, don’t worry. There are a lot of options out there. To help you make a decision, we’ve made a short list of three of the most common software developer roles: front-end, back-end, and full-stack developers.

Front-end developers

Front-end developers use programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create beautiful, fast, and efficient websites. These software developers combine technical programming skills with creative UI and UX skills to produce exceptional websites.

Back-end developers

Back-end developers program servers, develop and maintain databases, and manage client-side interfaces. They ensure all the behind-the-scenes infrastructure can support the beautiful web applications that front-end engineers create. Back-end engineers typically have a working knowledge of Node.JS, SQL, or Express.JS.

Full-stack developers

Finally, full-stack developers are the jacks and jills of all trades, capable of handling both front-end and back-end development. With enough time, full-stack engineers can create websites and applications entirely on their own. Generally, these software developers use a mix of both front-end and back-end languages.

How to gain software developer credentials

The great news about becoming a software developer is that it doesn’t require a degree or certificate from a college. Many people have transitioned into software development from vastly different jobs and learned the skills they needed on their own.

Online courses are a great way to learn the skills you’ll need as a software developer. For example, our Career Paths teach you everything you need to know to land an entry-level position from the ground up.

Another benefit to online learning is the community you’ll find around almost any platform. Engaging with these communities allows you to learn from people who either are or have been in your shoes.

Take Regina, a former piano teacher who transitioned into her new career as a software developer in just six months. She explained how having a community of like-minded folks around her during this time was a big part of her success. Online groups, social media hashtags for coding, and forums (like the Codecademy Forum) helped Regina stay accountable to her goals.

“Even though I probably had some questions about whether I could do this, I have just seen so many other people who have studied something else in college and then gone into tech after.” — Regina, member of the Codecademy community

Are software developers in demand?

Software developers are in very high demand. Think about how many companies rely on a website, software, or database to operate. Nearly all businesses require software.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, software developer jobs are expected to increase by 22% over the next decade. That’s much faster than average because of the huge demand for people who can create, maintain, and improve software and systems.

How long does it take to become a software developer?

Because everyone begins with a different set of skills, the answer is: it depends. If you’re upskilling, but you already know some programming basics, you’ll learn faster than someone starting from square one. You might be able to learn the necessary skills in three or four months. But, if you’re tackling a larger learning curve, it might take you a little longer to become a full-fledged software developer.

It’s also important to be realistic about how much time you can dedicate to your learning. If you’re learning between working and parenting, it’ll take longer. But, if you’re studying full-time, you could develop the skills you need in as little as a few months. The key is to set a sustainable goal of a minimum daily practice and then stick to it. Regina recommends a minimum of 15 minutes a day:

“Hold yourself accountable. Do the 15 minutes a day, participate in those forums and those exchanges, because you’ll find that the more involved you are in it, the more excited you become!” — Regina, member of the Codecademy community

Getting Started

Hopefully, you’ll have a better idea of how to become a software developer after reading this article. Once you’ve figured out what kind of developer you want to be and what type of company you want to work for, the next step is to start building the skills you’ll need to excel in your career.

Take a look through our catalog, find the course that’s right for you, and get started. Or, if you still need more information, read through our learners’ success stories on our forums.

How much do developers make?

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How much do developers make?

Practically every industry relies on technology to some degree, so it’s no surprise that developers play such a pivotal role in the modern business landscape.

If you’re considering a career as a developer, you’ve probably found yourself wondering how much developers make. Well, it depends. Salaries vary between different types of developers, but on average, they earn around $107,510 a year. That breaks down to an average of $136,320 for the top 25% and $82,430 for the bottom 25%. And while these are good numbers, they’re likely to climb even higher as the demand for more and more applications increases over the next several years.

Below, we’ll explore what different kinds of developers earn per year and how salaries vary by region.

How much do developers make on the East Coast?

If you plan on living or working in the east as a developer, you can expect a decent salary.

The average salary for a developer in New York is $116,830, and in Massachusetts, you can bring in an average of $109,130 — both of which are higher than the national average.

A little farther south, in Maryland, you’re still above average at $109,130. To the north, in New Hampshire, you’re looking at an average salary of $110,740. Regardless of the state, developers on the east coast generally earn over six figures.

Here are some more east coast developer salaries:

  • District of Columbia: $112,510
  • New Jersey: $107,640
  • Virginia: $113,690

How much do developers make on the West Coast?

On the west coast, developer salaries are even higher. This is likely due to the abundance of software giants, like Google and Facebook, in the region. Some of the salaries for developers in the west include:

  • California: $127,950
  • Washington State: $131,790
  • Texas: $108,760

How much do developers make in the middle states?

Developers in the middle states can expect a slightly lower average salary than developers on the coasts. For example:

  • Wyoming: $72,210
  • North Dakota: $80,620
  • South Dakota: $75,000
  • Oklahoma: $86,360

But, if you’re an aspiring developer living in the middle states, this doesn’t mean you should pack up just yet. Salary isn’t everything — you should also take living expenses into account.

The cost of living is far lower in the middle states than on the coasts, so a developer in North Dakota could live just as comfortably (if not more so) as a developer in California.

Plus, with so many jobs, industries, and universities on the east and west coasts, it follows that developers would make more in those areas.

Another factor to consider is the average salary of the state in question. In North Dakota, for instance, the average salary is $35,499, which is significantly less than half of what developers make.

Developer salaries by role

Because each kind of developer has different responsibilities, their salaries differ as well. Let’s take a closer look at how your role as a developer will affect your income.

Software developer salary

Software developers design software solutions that meet their company’s or client’s needs. The national average salary for software developers is $103,620 each year, though many supplement their income with freelance or consulting work.

Front-end developer salary

Front-end developers build the parts of websites and applications that users interact with. On average, front-end developers make about $106,637 a year. Experience does play a role, though, as newcomers to the field usually start around $49,000.

A front-end developers’ tech stack will also influence their salary. Learning how to use frameworks and libraries like React.js will help you earn more than you would if you relied solely on JavaScript.

Back-end developer salary

A back-end developer is responsible for building and connecting all the dependencies that a program needs to function. While the front-end may change according to users’ tastes, the back-end serves as the foundation of the application.

An experienced back-end developer may bring in around $122,445 before bonuses.

Full-stack developer salary

Full-stack developers make, on average, $108,089 a year. They handle all the work involved in constructing databases, engineering systems, integrating and configuring servers, and managing and deploying clients.

Companies in need of a comprehensive solution may be more likely to turn to a full-stack developer, thanks to their diverse assortment of skills. When asking how much developers make, in the context of full-stack development, this is an important consideration.

Mobile developer salary

Mobile developers make about $117,644 a year, not counting bonuses. Mobile developers build applications for devices like phones and tablets.

With mobile devices generating more than half of total web traffic, it’s no surprise that more businesses are turning to mobile development.

Developers may soon be earning even more

One trend driving the shift toward a more software-based job market is the rising popularity of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Many homes already have everyday devices connected to the internet, such as Alexa, TVs, smart speakers, and even appliances, like refrigerators and ovens.

In addition, a wide variety of industries depend on IoT devices such as scanners used for inventory management and point of sales (PoS) systems. All these devices are controlled by software that needs to be designed and developed by skilled professionals.

Also, the demand for web-based applications and websites is unlikely to decline. More and more commerce is being transacted online, so businesses will continue relying on developers to design the apps their customers use to make purchases, operate their businesses, and navigate their everyday lives.

Getting Started

Regardless of role or region, you can expect to make a decent living as a developer. Need help getting started? Check out our courses on web development and mobile development.

If you already know what kind of developer you want to be, our Career Paths may be right for you. Career Paths are designed to teach you all the skills and knowledge you’ll need to find an entry-level position in your desired field. You’ll also learn how to build a portfolio and earn a certificate upon completion to illustrate your skills to prospective employers. Take your first steps toward your new career with the Paths linked below:

Great Ideas From Our Readers

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Great Ideas From Our Readers

Do you use The New York Times in your classroom? Whether you’re a teacher, parent, coach, librarian, tutor, counselor, adviser, administrator or even a student, we want to hear about your idea for teaching or learning with The Times.

As you can see from the many we’ve published over the years, your idea can be elaborate or simple, might involve a whole school or just one child, and could employ multiple sections of the daily paper or one dog-eared article you clipped in 1993.

We’re just interested in hearing about how people are using The Times in as wide a variety of educational settings as possible.

To write in, use our form below.

Please note: This form is a first step; if we decide to use your idea we will contact you to learn more.

Word of the Day: obtrusive

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Word of the Day: obtrusive

Note: This is our final Word of the Day for the 2020-21 school year. The feature will start again in September.

1. sticking out; protruding

2. undesirably noticeable

_________

The word obtrusive has appeared in nine articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Feb. 26 in “Atop the McGraw-Hill Building, the Name Stays” by John Freeman Gill:

Right upstairs, hulking above 230 Park, is the obtrusive and unloved skyscraper built in 1963 for Pan American World Airways. For three decades the name Pan Am, rendered in aluminum and neon, was affixed to the tower’s top, one of the most visible signs the city has ever known.

Pan Am went bankrupt in 1991, and when the building’s owner, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, announced plans to change the tower’s name, the architect Robert A.M. Stern asked cheekily, “Couldn’t they just leave the sign up and take the building down?”

But the tower has now worn its “new” name nearly as long as it wore its old one, and to a generation of New Yorkers who were born or arrived here since the early 1990s, the building is known as the MetLife.

Can you correctly use the word obtrusive in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how obtrusive can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

Coursera partners with Tencent Cloud to offer in-demand cloud content

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Coursera partners with Tencent Cloud to offer in-demand cloud content

By Betty Vandenbosch, Chief Content Officer at Coursera

Today, we are excited to welcome new industry partner Tencent Cloud to the Coursera partner community. As one of the world’s leading cloud providers, Tencent Cloud brings deep technical expertise to the Coursera learner platform. Over the coming months, the company will roll out a series of courses designed to help learners develop in-demand cloud skills, starting with the beginner-level Tencent Cloud Practitioner course available today.

Demand for cloud talent is projected to grow as organizations increasingly rely on cloud-driven technologies. Our new partnership aims to equip learners for these emerging roles, drawing from Tencent Cloud’s work developing cloud solutions for a wide range of sectors. The company has a notable presence globally, with a growing infrastructure network that now spans across 27 regions.

The new Tencent Cloud Practitioner course is designed for learners who want to kickstart their cloud career and familiarize themselves with the Tencent Cloud suite. The beginner-level course does not have any prerequisites and takes about eight hours to complete. It covers the different features, advantages, use cases, and billing methods of several core Tencent Cloud products. Learners will also explore the cloud basics needed to take the Tencent Cloud Practitioner exam. For $49, learners can access the full course experience, including video lectures, assignments, and quizzes, and receive a certificate upon completion to display on LinkedIn or share with an employer.

“As a leading cloud services provider in the world, we are committed to nurturing more talents and professionals in the cloud computing field by equipping them with the right skill sets and cloud foundation knowledge,” said Poshu Yeung, Senior Vice President of Tencent Cloud International. “We are delighted to collaborate with Coursera on this educational initiative, which will truly benefit our existing customers, partners as well as all industry practitioners.” 

Tencent Cloud brings valuable experience providing industry-leading cloud solutions to a global audience. We’re thrilled to partner with Tencent Cloud to help learners develop the right technical skills to succeed in a rapidly changing digital economy. 

Find out more about the Tencent Cloud Practitioner course and start learning today.

 

Welcoming 16 new Coursera for Campus customers across EMEA

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Welcoming 16 new Coursera for Campus customers across EMEA

Anthony Tattersall, Vice President EMEA at Coursera

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the way we learn, teach, and work. What began as a short-term response to the crisis will likely result in an enduring digital transformation of higher education. As more jobs require digital skills, students and employers are increasingly looking to universities to prepare job-ready workers.

Today, I am excited to announce that 16 new universities and higher education institutions across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa have embraced Coursera for Campus to serve their students. As these universities consider new ways to adapt, they have access to a high-quality, job-relevant content catalog of over 5,000 ready-made courses from more than 200 university and industry educators, including University of London, HSE University, Yale University, Google, and IBM on Coursera for Campus. Faculty can also author private courses and assessments. 

Coursera for Campus is used by higher education institutions in three primary ways:

  • Professors assign a set of courses, for-credit — similar to an independent study.
  • As part of a university’s blended learning experience – offering the Coursera for Campus catalog as part of the institution’s combined campus and online teaching. 
  • And finally, for non-credit, multi-disciplinary learning, to improve student employability upon graduation (especially in business, tech, and data domains). 

In Russia, Coursera for Campus has seen five new partnerships in the last three months, including Tomsk State University, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Saint-Petersburg Electrotechnical University “LETI”, Finance University and Northern (Arctic) Federal University. 

In France leading business schools such as Grenoble Ecole de Management – one of the top business schools in the country, are integrating Coursera for Campus into their learning experience. 

Other markets where Coursera for Campus is gaining momentum in Europe include Austria, with two new partnerships during this period, including the University of Salzburg; SMC Education Group, headquartered in Malta and Austria, and Sofia University in Bulgaria. 

“With Coursera for Campus, students at SMC Education Group will have access to high quality content that equips them with vital emerging skills delivered by big brand names,” said Markus Müller, Director of International Relations at SMC Education Group. “Students will be able to increase their knowledge in almost any discipline and link their learnings back in new ways to their relevant fields of study.”

Meanwhile, adoption in the Middle East and Africa continues to grow. A total of 6 universities had signed up to Coursera for Campus in the region by the end of March 2021, after three new partnerships in Q1. These include leading North African universities such as Hassan 2 University of Casablanca, one of the largest public universities in Morocco. 

Students and faculty are also benefiting from a range of product innovations on the platform. For instance, faculty are leveraging skills development analytics on Coursera to track student progress and close employability gaps. They are also ensuring the online learning experience meets the academic rigor of campus learning with academic integrity features like plagiarism detection and deterrence. Students have more flexibility with mobile and offline learning. As many as 72 percent of Coursera for Campus students globally have accessed Coursera through mobile in the past year to download courses, synchronize progress and quizzes, take notes with highlights, and calendar sync – all optimized for low data consumption. 

With the higher education landscape changing at an unprecedented pace all over the world, access to high-quality online learning will be critical in helping universities keep up with student needs. It’s an honour to partner with leading universities in EMEA to help them navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by a new world. 

Learn more about Coursera for Campus today.

 

Long-Time Coursera Learner Bernard Shares Study Tips Accumulated over Five Years of Online Learning

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Long-Time Coursera Learner Bernard Shares Study Tips Accumulated over Five Years of Online Learning

Meet Bernard. He’s a data strategist at PwC and a committed lifelong learner. After earning his double master degree, he subscribed to Coursera Plus, and has continued to study topics such as artificial intelligence, design, and professional development. Today, he’s taking a pause from his five years of consistent online learning to share some advice and tips—his focus in this article is on the importance of note-taking.

I began studying on Coursera after realizing that the “professional world” couldn’t satisfy my thirst for knowledge. For the past five years, I’ve continued to study for at least five hours per week. During this time, I have tested and improved my note-taking system as a means to better identify and remember information. I would have liked to have had this system from the beginning, as I’ve lost a lot of information because my note-taking system was incomplete!

In this post, I’ll talk about why I believe you need to take notes and how digital note-taking can take your studying to the next level. I’ll also provide my top takeaways for note-taking.

Why you need to take notes

My first course on Coursera was the great “Learning how to Learn” by Dr. Barbara Oakley and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski. I ended up having to take this course twice in three years because I hardly took any notes the first time and I had forgotten most of the concepts.

This led me to the conclusion that I was not remembering as much information as I wanted to. I realized four things in particular:

  • I was quickly forgetting most of the things I learned. I was even thinking I might have a memory problem because I was retaining so little information. But after some research, I felt reassured that I was normal.
  • I was struggling to explain what I’d learned in a clear and structured way. This happened even when I remembered what I’d learned. This meant I was not fully understanding the concepts in the first place.
  • I could only remember approximate details. Even when I remembered something and was able to explain it clearly, I often had to approximate dates, names, the exact function of certain concepts, and more. I didn’t like having to explain things with only approximate details.
  • I wasn’t applying my learnings right away. Even when I was starting to be really comfortable with a topic, I wasn’t finding the opportunities to apply my learnings immediately in real life. Sometimes, I wasn’t using new concepts until several months later. By that time, my knowledge was approximate again because I hadn’t been practicing or reviewing.

To try and address these problems, I started to take notes on paper. This helped me synthesize ideas and concepts, and I worked to improve my note-taking system month after month.  For example, I started adding the names of Specializations in the top corner of my sheets and color coding different chapters. By the end of a 10-hour course, I’d usually have multiple pages of notes.

I recommend taking notes to help you remember information later. Otherwise, it’s my experience that you’ll forget the majority of what you’ve learned if you are not reviewing the course information. I also believe you should take notes to avoid having “shaded knowledge” (grey areas of knowledge with approximate details) about a subject that you think you know.  Finally, I think you should take notes because the subject might become more and more useful as you progress in your life. 

How digital note-taking can take your studying to the next level

After more than three years of exclusively taking notes on paper, I switched to computer note-taking. Today, I usually end up with around twenty pages of notes per course. What I realized is that, rather than just taking notes on the main points of a course, it was better to put more information down, and to use a clean structure.

I believe comprehensive note-taking is more valuable. For example, if you have to explain what you’ve learned to someone else, you’re going to need more than just keywords to rely on. Plus, if you have to go back to your notes to look for a certain detail, a clean system will help you retrieve what you’re looking for, and the more information you have in your notes, the more likely it is you’ll have the information you’re looking for. Finally, more information with a clean structure and hierarchy system will make your note-taking more qualitative and more precise, which in turn will make it easier for you to recall the material you’ve learned.

Using a computer for note-taking has many benefits. Here are four reasons of them:

  • It’s more practical. Having my notes on a computer cloud means I don’t have to carry a voluminous file folder around. I can have my “knowledge toolbox” (an online folder with thousands of pages of notes sorted by themes) at the ready whenever I need it.
  • Navigation is easier. The navigation pane of a word processor such as Google Docs or Word is a great tool for online note-taking. Using the title system, you can create a very structured document that follows the chapters of your online course.
  • It’s easier to find what you’re looking for. You can use the search function of a word processor to quickly find specific information. That’s not possible on paper and it can be frustrating when you can’t find the content you’re looking for.
  • You can include screenshots. The screenshot app of your computer or device can make your life easier when you have to reproduce matrices or schemes in your courses. A screenshot will always be better and faster than drawing something on paper.

I know it’s been said that it’s better to write notes on paper because you remember more information for longer when you have to write it out manually. I actually agree with that point. However, when you have hundreds of pages of notes from hundreds of different courses, computer notes are way more practical. It’s far easier for me to search through hundreds of files when I need information quickly than it is to comb through sheets and sheets of paper notes. So I make sure to pay close attention when I write on the computer—I’m careful about what I write, and I focus twice as hard, to make sure the information “prints” in my head.

My top takeaways for note-taking

I’d like to share some specific advice for making the most of note-taking on your computer.

  • Bold your keywords. This will make it easier to find what you’re looking for when you’re reviewing your notes later.
  • Highlight important text. You can even use color coding. For example, I highlight names in purple, book names in red, and interesting concepts in blue. This makes it easier to search later, and it also helps me stay attentive while I’m writing.
  • Write notes in your own words. This will help you actually understand the concept as opposed to just repeating something you’ve just heard.
  • Create a useful structure. Having your titles align with the structure of the course is an efficient way to organize your notes.
  • Prioritize. You don’t just want to write everything down, but how do you know what’s important? I ask myself three questions: is it important to me right now, will I need to know it in the future, and would I use this if I needed to teach this to someone else? If I answer yes to any of these questions, then I add the information to my notes.

Happy learning!

I believe note-taking is a great investment when you’re learning online, and I hope this article will help you in your quest for knowledge and in the construction of your “knowledge toolbox.” 

Good luck, and learn well!

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2021 Coursera Conference: Industry Partnerships Reflection

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2021 Coursera Conference: Industry Partnerships Reflection

By Madelyn Suennen, Industry Partnership Manager, Coursera

Coursera Conference 2021 is now complete, and we have the opportunity to reflect on what was a truly fantastic experience. I know I speak for us all when I say we are feeling excited, hopeful, and motivated to continue our shared mission of bringing world-class learning to every corner of the world. 

With visionary industry leaders coming together around a common cause, sharing their insights and experiences, it is fascinating to see how certain themes emerge. These are the leaders that will continue defining the employment landscape in the coming years, and we can consider these themes as bellwethers of what the future holds. Here are just some of the themes we’d like to highlight for you.

Industry partners can use their expertise to train and upskill people from non-traditional backgrounds, which leads to innovative job opportunities and outcomes. 

We are seeing incredible demand for entry-level skills from top brands such as Google, Facebook, Salesforce, and more on Coursera. Over 950,000 learners—many from job seekers—have enrolled in our Entry-Level Professional Certificates in the last 12 months (as of May 2021). 

Expanding access to world-class education is an essential part of improving career prospects for learners across the globe, particularly those from non-traditional backgrounds and underserved communities. We know from the work so many of our industry partners are doing that companies can leverage the power of online learning to expand opportunity and reach. One conference session, entitled “Helping Job-Seekers Succeed with Gateway Professional Certificates,” focused on how job-aligned certificate programs can create diversified talent pipelines and drive tangible career outcomes. Saurabh Sanghvi, partner at McKinsey, shared that these innovations are reducing friction and increasing accessibility in the job market.

We are specifically seeing that Professional Certificates can provide gateways into entry-level roles. Certificate programs are emerging as a viable means for job-seekers to overcome obstacles and barriers associated with qualifying factors that have historically included university degrees. In a conversation focused on how Coursera partners create Professional Certificate programs, Jesse Haines, Director of Grow with Google, highlighted Google’s focus on “high-paying, high-growth fields that do not require a 4-year college degree and where Google has real expertise.” 

Innovative organizations are partnering with Coursera to break down education barriers and increase representation in the workforce.

“We all have a unique position and the agency to drive and influence meaningful impact specifically in underrepresented communities, within our current brands, schools, businesses, and bodies of work.” 

—Ralph Jean-Noel, Program Lead for Facebook Elevate and 2021 

Speaking in a session entitled “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Online Education,” Ralph Jean-Noel spoke powerfully about our collective opportunity to create new pathways into jobs for people from underrepresented communities—opportunities that lead to meaningful career progress.  These non-traditional pathways play a central role in driving diversity and inclusion initiatives for companies, and they represent an innovative solution for both employers seeking diverse talent and entry-level learners seeking jobs.

Ralph also shared one of Facebook’s most ambitious and diversity-oriented goals: Facebook has committed that by 2023, they will reach 1 million members of the Black community and 1 million members of the Latinx and Hispanic communities in the US with free training in digital skills through the Elevate program. Coursera is proud to partner with Facebook to work towards this goal through programs such as the Facebook Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate. Widely accessible and industry-recognized certificate programs, developed by organizations like Facebook, are increasingly important onramps into growing careers and diversified talent pipelines. 

Stackable learning is the pathway to both jobs and degrees.

Our session “Leveraging Stackability to Increase Engagement and Extend Brand Reach” was focused on how organizations are developing stackable learning content to maximize learner engagement and create viable journeys for learners.

“Creating the right journey for learning is perfectly aligned with business objectives,” Ryan Keenan, Director of Product at DeepLearning.AI, said in conversation with Kheil McIntyre, Head of Industry Partnerships at Coursera. “What we’ve been working on [as an industry partner] is how to take courses, link them naturally to real-world outcomes, and help learners take the next step to apply to jobs or build their portfolio as a job candidate.” 

Collaboration of this kind between industry and academia can help learners map out their education and career roadmap in a more connected way than previously possible. Stackability is essential to this kind of approach. On Coursera, offerings such as Specializations offer a way to “bundle” related courses together to create a focused path towards skills mastery and job readiness. In this way, learners can “stack” capabilities as they grow their skill set from foundational to advanced knowledge.

The concept of stackability also applies when we think about creating pathways into degree programs. The Google IT Support Professional Certificate, for example, is ACE® approved—learners who complete the program can earn up to twelve college credits. After learning the foundations of IT support in the program, learners can transfer those credits into the University of London Bachelors of Computer Science degree program, also on Coursera. The extensibility is ongoing. After entering the workforce, learners can continue to utilize Coursera to learn job-aligned skills that increase career mobility.

These are just some of the highlights from the conference, and we hope you’re feeling the same excitement we are about all the exciting and impactful initiatives that are underway. The innovation and vision that are being put to work to ensure the creation of a more equitable and rewarding future for all is both motivating and inspiring. To all our industry partners and conference participants, we thank you. And, if you’re not yet a partner, we encourage you to consider the possibilities of what we can achieve together.

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Learn how Sergio earned a promotion after gaining new AI skills

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Learn how Sergio earned a promotion after gaining new AI skills

My name is Sergio and I work as a research development engineer for BorgWarner Turbo Systems. I have a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s in materials engineering. I worked at BorgWarner for two years as an apprentice before deciding to take the IBM AI Engineering Professional Certificate program on Coursera. Completing the IBM AI Engineering certificate has helped a great deal in advancing my career with BorgWarner and I think it was a major factor in obtaining my promotion. It absolutely gave me a competitive edge in the interview process.

One of the main reasons I decided to take the IBM program was because, during my time as a trainee, I had to do a lot of data analysis. I first approached the work by using Excel. I soon realized that, however, that many of the tests in the data were quite complicated and difficult to analyze without a sophisticated program. That pushed me to move past Excel and to try something new. The artificial intelligence and data analysis from this program were huge assets. 

Now, as a Research Development Engineer, I am still using the skills and programming I learned during the program. Through the IBM AI Engineering Professional Certificate program, I learned how to take what I would individually analyze in Excel and instead do it all automatically, saving a great deal of time and resources. It has helped us on more than one occasion to analyze a multitude of variables more efficiently. Learning how to find patterns across multiple projects has helped us identify logical solutions.

In my new role, it is one of my duties to clean up and structure the data from our projects. One of the challenges that I have been able to overcome is to be able to input this data automatically rather than analyze manually. This allows me more time and freedom to think about what patterns we’ve seen. We are able to pinpoint these models, and then I interpret and use my knowledge from the course and make logical conclusions and solutions. 

One of the things I liked most about the program was how flexible it was. Anyone with a busy schedule or a full-time position can still take this course and learn at their own pace. I also greatly enjoyed the IBM Watson Studio hands-on labs that allowed me to truly immerse myself in the material and be able to apply it to real-life cases and projects.  

I have already recommended this program to several colleagues. It’s designed in a way that people at any skill level can learn and benefit. The program starts at a basic level by teaching Python. From there, you’ll build up to working with different models and doing different hands-on projects that allow you to apply your newly acquired skills.

I am a firm believer in continuous learning and in finding ways to develop personally and professionally. The IBM AI Engineering Professional Certificate program challenged me to explore new proficiencies and learn an applied skill that will grow more and more important as we progress as a society.

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What is JavaScript used for?

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What is JavaScript used for?

For the past eight consecutive years, JavaScript has been the most commonly used programming language by developers who responded to Stack Overflow’s annual survey. The language’s popularity stems largely from its versatility.

While originally designed for front-end development, JavaScript’s extensive list of associated libraries and frameworks have extended its utility. Now, you can use it for just about anything — including back-end, mobile, and game development. Below, we’ll delve into the reasons behind the language’s popularity and its many applications.

If you’d prefer to get right into and start learning how to code with JavaScript, check out our Learn JavaScript course.

When it was first developed in 1995, JavaScript was intended to be a lightweight language used to make web pages more dynamic. It added simple effects, like showing and hiding elements with the click of a button — but it wasn’t long before developers realized that it could do much more.

In time, JavaScript became one of the few languages that could be used in just about every web browser. Today, most of those other languages have fallen by the wayside, leaving JavaScript as the only programming language that can be used in every popular browser.

The next big break for JavaScript came when developers started experimenting with it outside of web browsers. They applied it to the back end of web servers, where it processed the data used by the front end. After the rise of smartphones, it found use in multiple mobile development tools that create apps that run on both the Android and iOS platforms.

In another article, we explore more of the reasons behind Javascript’s popularity.

What is JavaScript used for?

JavaScript is used in every industry to create all types of applications. Let’s take a closer look at its uses in web development, mobile development, game development, and more.

Front-end web development

Front-end developers use JavaScript (along with HTML and CSS) to create the parts of a web page that users see and interact with in their browsers.

Before JavaScript, web pages only served static content. JavaScript gave developers the ability to provide their users with a dynamic web experience, adding animations and other interactive elements. When you click a button on a website, and a side panel opens or a modal slowly comes into view, that’s JavaScript at work.

But JavaScript does more than that on the web. You can also use it to create single-page applications (or SPAs) that run on one HTML page to give users a smooth navigational experience.

Back-end web development

JavaScript is also popular with back-end developers. Back-end web development (also known as server-side development) involves creating the code that runs on a web server. When a browser loads a web page, it makes a call to a remote server. Server-side code then parses the page’s URL to determine what the user is requesting before retrieving and transforming the required data to serve back to the browser.

Node.js is a JavaScript framework commonly used for back-end development — so much so that many back-end JavaScript developers refer to themselves as Node.js developers.

Wanna try it for yourself? Take your first steps into back-end development by learning how to create a back-end app with JavaScript.

Game development

You can also use JavaScript to create 2D and 3D video games that run in web browsers. As browsers get more powerful, web-based video games are evolving beyond simple platformers. Now, JavaScript frameworks like Phaser.js allow you to create more advanced games quickly and easily right from your browser.

Mobile development

For years, mobile developers had to commit themselves to either Android or iOS, as each platform uses different programming languages. Android developers would learn Java or Kotlin, while iOS devs preferred Swift or Objective-C.

Now, with the rise of mobile development frameworks like React Native and Ionic, you can use JavaScript to create apps that run on both platforms.

Virtual reality (VR)

Virtual reality is a thing again, as devices like the Oculus Rift and Valve Index have made it more generally accessible. Now, you can use JavaScript to create applications for both of them.

A-Frame is a popular JavaScript framework used to build virtual reality experiences in web browsers. If you’re interested in building your own VR applications, start by Learning A-Frame.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

JavaScript is also used to develop artificial intelligence, as libraries like TensorFlow bring the power of machine learning to JavaScript developers. Developers can use these libraries to create machine learning models that predict future events based on past data and categorize data and images.

Learn more about JavaScript

JavaScript is no longer just a programming language used to create neat effects in web browsers. It’s a well-respected, powerful language that’s climbed to the top of popularity charts over the past three decades.

JavaScript’s versatility and wide range of applications make it a valuable addition to any developer’s tech stack.Ready to start using it yourself? Learn its basics in our introduction to JavaScript. Or, if you’re looking for something more advanced, check out our full list of JavaScript courses and tutorials.

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