How to Prepare for a Career Change into Tech?

In recent years, an increasing number of individuals are interested in pivoting their professional development, particularly towards technology. This trend is fueled by the existing talent deficit (yes, despite the recent Big Tech layoffs - Google, Amazon, Facebook, Spotify, etc.). The demand for tech professionals has not diminished. The significant difference is that if you start job searching now, there will be a much stronger focus on efficiency. This means companies will seek candidates who can demonstrate problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, a thorough understanding of challenges, and the capacity to offer feasible solutions. The objective is to ensure that the investment made in new hires generates a return on investment as quickly as possible.

This isn’t a new phenomenon. To cite a few examples, as early as 2016, Argentina reported a deficit of approximately 5,000 software positions annually. In 2020, Colombia faced a deficit of 75,000 ICT professionals, with only about 5,000 graduates per year. Meanwhile, in June 2022, Spain reported an insurmountable deficit, with merely 8,000 IT graduates annually against over 14,000 companies with open recruitment processes.

Given this context, why consider a career change into tech now, and what does it entail? The fundamental and straightforward answer is that core technical skills and knowledge can typically be acquired within a 6 to 18-month timeframe. The focus can be on achieving a technical proficiency level rather than pursuing a full engineering degree.

This point often sparks debate: why do many of us pursue a 4-to-5-year engineering degree, only for someone else to potentially achieve similar capabilities in just one year? It’s not an exact equivalence. It’s akin to learning to drive a car in two weeks versus becoming a professional driver who has logged over 6,000 hours of experience before earning a license to operate buses or conduct commercial trips.

Indeed, the fundamentals are the same, and perhaps the “sportsman” driver will eventually gain enough knowledge and experience to operate a bus. However, they followed different paths, and their outcomes will differ, at least initially.

Considering this, is it worthwhile to transition into technology despite potentially having a vastly different background? (I’ve met individuals who transitioned from logistics and foreign trade, medicine, journalism, finance, teaching, and even law, and are now working in tech). Their motivations sometimes include economic factors, but primarily stem from the desire to explore a field that is constantly evolving. This field encompasses diverse areas, from IT project management to programming, numerical data analysis, interface design, or quality assurance. These are just a few of the many possibilities and specializations. This diversity is also why a lengthy degree isn’t always necessary if one intends to focus and specialize in a particular vertical, whereas engineering degrees often emphasize broad generalization.

Returning to the main topic, what, then, should be the path to take this leap?

Establish a goal: What’s my target timeframe? How much time do I have available? Can I dedicate myself to full-time study? Only a few hours a day? Per week?
Identify your desired path: This might be the most challenging part. Among all the available options, what should I focus on: Data Analysis, Front-End Development, Back-End Development, Quality Assurance (QA), Project Management, Mobile Development, Web Applications, etc.? I believe the starting point is to choose your learning method and connect with people already in the field to understand the types of tasks they perform and determine if that aligns with your interests. A good resource (in English) is FreeCodeCamp’s description of Career Paths.
Choose a method (or provider): The method could be self-taught, with a guide or mentor, through a course on a learning platform, or directly with a school. There are various offerings for this, such as Platzi (in Spanish and throughout Latin America), Practicum, Holberton, Coder House, Le Wagon (Operates online but also offers in-person courses in different parts of the world). Some of these schools even have their own job boards.
Stay calm and remember it’s an individual journey. Some manage to make the switch and become productive within 6 months, while others might take up to 2 years. It’s not a race; it’s about discovering what best suits your own path and maintaining focus on your destination.

An additional point I want to emphasize is that there is no age limit. This is a primary concern for many: making a career change after 30, 40, 50, or beyond. Starting over will always evoke fear; it’s inherent to human nature. However, the far more “damaging” effect is to remain in doubt, wondering if we could have succeeded, if we could have achieved it and moved forward.

But rather than hearing it from me, here are some testimonials from individuals who transitioned into technology after the age of 35/40:

Additional Resources

Here are some websites that provide free training, courses, or reference material to kickstart your journey: