Is 53 too old to become a Web Dev? I’ve searched the topic and can only find posts from 7 years ago. That’s a long time in this industry. I’m a court reporter now and live in my job. Being in court with people unwilling to work with you to help your job go more smoothly, like speaking clearly and slower than 320 WPM and spelling words that have multiple spellings, has gotten old in a hurry!!! I’ve been a reporter for 5 years now and have turned to hating it!
I’m very analytical. I love finding and solving problems. I’m very artistic. I’ve built websites for my court reporting using GoDaddy and loved it, which I know that’s nowhere near HTML, CSS and Java.
So now that you have some info on me, what can you help me learn about Web Dev? Thnx
I’ve done it, and I’m older than you. Bear in mind though, it’s not easy to get people to take an interest you due to your age (regardless of discrimination laws). I was a project manager in an IT company, but decided I wanted a change much like yourself. I did General Assembly’s ‘Web Development Immersive’ course to bring me up to speed with current techniques and technology.
I’ve done it too, and am definitely older than you (and a female as well). When I started out, I was told that freelancing would be the best fit because my age would add an element of trust and dependability when dealing with a client. I don’t want the younger web devs to get upset with me, but that’s what I was told. I never did try for a 9-5 job in the industry, so I couldn’t tell you there.
As far as learning the skills needed to be a good web dev, I believe there is absolutely no maximum age limit.
At risk of sounding ageist, there are several “old timers” here, including myself.
I started years ago when development was solely textual CLI with CRT display. Much has changed since then. Over the years I have more or less layered on knowledge. One thing that has changed is that while earlier it was possible to “do everything”, different aspects of web development have become “specialized”. Another thing that has changed is the rate of technological advancement. It is difficult if not impossible to stay up-to-date with even a single technology let alone several.
My approach is to try and be “aware” of as much as I possibly can be. Enough so that when I am developing I will remember “seeing something about that” and be able to dig deeper when I need to.
IMHO a good way for you to proceed would be to think of a simple “project” for yourself to work on. Break it down into manageable steps, set up your dev environment, and start writing code.
Do not discriminate yourself because of your age.
I’m older than you. I’ve successfully made the transition to Web developer but I come from a Tech background in Electronic Engineering and IT.
Whether you’ll like and succeed in Web Development really is up to you. There’s no metric or test that can determine if you’ll like working as a Web Dev, you just need to go do it. As others have replied, try building several projects, you’ll learn a lot doing so but more importantly you’ll find out if this is the right choice for you.
There is a lot of age basis in web dev and the tech field as a whole but with the right attitude and knowledge you can succeed. The important thing is to not let a negative experience get you down.
I wish you much success in career change.
Steve
No, especially if you go the freelance/contracting route for the reasons @WebMachine pointed out. I’m a huge proponent of using your perceived “weaknesses” as strengths, and you should be able to use your background as a reporter to break in fairly quickly.
This is all theory, but one track you could take would be to join a site like UpWork and just take some freelance writing jobs, but with a focus on a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress. This would help you build a presence on these sites (as ratings/number of jobs are important) while exposing you to the tools developers use without needing to actually develop yourself.
While doing this, you could also work through the HTML/CSS/PHP/JavaScript (in that order) tracks on Codecademy (an interactive development training site). Once you complete HTML/CSS/PHP start looking for simple jobs on UpWork, searching for keywords like “fix” and “html”. The reputation you’ve gained from your previous writing gigs on the site will help you land jobs (and you’ll have the confidence to do them too), since people mostly look at your rating and not necessarily your work history.
I would personally leave JavaScript for last as most of the work you’ll be doing through WordPress would involve using libraries/plugins anyways. The world of JavaScript moves FAST, and there are so many paths you can take that it will become overwhelming.
Simultaneously while doing all of this, I would be joining as many developer meetups as I can - that part’s not theory, I actually recommend this to everyone. Depending on where you live, there are many meetup groups that provide everything from mentorship, to networking, to resume building (as it applies to development), to code workshops/hackathons and everything in between…for free.
You also get the benefit that the people attending these things are people who are really passionate about what they do (since they are usually held after work hours), and you want to be surrounding yourself with as many people who are smarter/further ahead than you at whatever it is you do…that’s true of anything though.
Good luck!
Thank you everyone for your feedback. Yes, I think my background in court reporting will help a lot with the writing aspect.
I actually went to school straight out of high school in computer science. Back then the classes were all about drawing out your program. I hated that part of it. LOL That was in the 80’s though. I know I’ve always loved computer programming.
It’s like a big puzzle and when you’re done you’ve got this amazing product.
I’ve been working online with free videos and tutorials and such. I’ve joined several FB groups. I’m slowing working on getting plugged in, and now, I’m wondering if it’s a good idea to just go ahead and get an associate’s degree. I mean, I can’t just leave my job right now. This is going to be a good two year transition. If it takes less time than that, I’ll be surprised. I also think I can do both careers. I would like to retire from the state. I have benefits, vacation and sick leave, so.
Did you get a degree? What college? Or did you use the many on-line courses I see for $1,000 and up? Thanks.
I earned a degree in Electronic Engineering Tech many years ago. As part of that program I took Fortran (never used) and C. I earned a second degree in CIS (computer information science) and took C++ and database classes all electives. I’ve never taken classroom courses geared towards Web Development, for that it’s been all online courses and books. My previous education left me with a desire to always have books as part of my learning process. I have over 18 paper or physical Sitepoint books alone. 
I’ve never taken any courses that costs a lot of money, couple of Sitepoint, Lynda.com (free account through my local library) and a few others.
My own personal opinion is that college might be suitable for backend and database work but not so much for frontend work.
I think if you take some of the cheaper courses available from Sitepoint.com, Treehouse etc that do not cost thousands and up, you’ll learn enough to start actually creating websites and learn if this field is right for you. I’m sure you’ll do fine if you stick with it and put in the work and effort to learn.
Steve
Hi friend,
Hope you are still hustling. I recently started learning web dev from a non-tech background. I thought I’ll share some of my experiences to hopefully keep us all motivated:
- Get into a habit - so so important to commit myself (i.e. an hour a day, 30 mins a day)
- Pick a language / framework and stick with it!
- Find a project / work. Once you’ve done enough tutorials, try to tackle part of the project. It’ll keep you engaged and makes the work you do meaningful to you.
I am 51 and have just begun studying web development, and am excited at every step! Currently I am a server at a very busy breakfast and lunch place, but how long will the body hold out after 35
years of abuse? So in order to create a cushion i lept into this field i have always from afar admired and wanted to be a part of. So if i dont feel too old to do it, then those who think i am should watch out, cause i have the stamina to out pace you, much like the tortoise. :P:
Hello there! If you really want to become a Web Dev I doubt anything should stop you! Please keep in mind that there are lots of stories of people going to developing while being much older, so it shouldnt be the case at all. Also I would suggest not to worry so much because as a web developer you can always have freelance job.
53 is not too old to become a web developer but turning it into steady employment may be a challenge. All depends on the quality of your work. If the quality of your work is mediocre it may take you years of practice to improve enough to impress a customer. You may need to continue working your present job until you get there, even if you dislike your present job.
There are 1 a billion web developers out there but the ones whose work quality is professional grade are relatively few. Everybody is at it designing day and night, but very few people show real promise.
There isn’t really any magical shortcut except time and practice. You can get an interactive media degree or something where the teachers will give you false reassurance and pat you on the back and tell you that your work is great when in reality it’s not.
Again, years of practice and patience. It’s the same for every industry. 10 years of training to become an Boeing 737 captain for example.
I tried being a web developer in my mid 20s and I didn’t succeed because I wanted too much too quickly. 15 years later I’m in the healthcare industry and I’m very successful financially but not so much in terms of career satisfaction. The web design bug bites me all the time. I may be able to do it again as a freelancer because I have a very good life-work balance and plenty of days off. However, I would NEVER quit my day job to pursue web development as a full-time career. Maybe I could transition slowly into web development, if realistic, but never quit my healthcare job cold turkey.
The main advantage of learning a new profession in your 20s as opposed to your 50s is healthier brain cells! Young people learn faster because their brains are like sponges and they have phenomenal memory! So if you are 53 you can still do it but you will probably make slower progress and need more patience. It’s normal part of the human aging process.
Well, as you have said that you built the site for court and registered it using GoDaddy. It shows that you have a good knowledge about IT and web development. You can become a web developer even in 53. It depends only on your will and ability to learn new stuff.