The best way to explore this career is to learn programming languages that are frequently used by MVC developers. These include Java, Python, C++, Python, and Ruby. The following online learning platforms offer free or low-cost classes in coding: Code Academy (https://www.codecademy.com), Coursera (https://www.coursera.org), edX (https://www.edx.org), and Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org). Your high school might offer classes in these and other programming languages.
Participate in popular IT forums such as GitHub (https://github.com) and StackExchange (https://stackexchange.com) to build your knowledge and skills and meet people with shared interests.
Get involved in programming competitions to test your abilities. Several competitions are offered by SkillsUSA, a national membership organization for middle school, high school, and college students who plan to pursue careers in technical, trade, and skilled service occupations. In its programming competition, contestants must demonstrate their knowledge of computer programming, describe how programs and programming languages work, detail the purposes and practices of structured programming, and develop a computer program from design notes and instructions. Visit http://www.skillsusa.org to learn more. Here are a few additional programming competitions:
- Microsoft Imagine Cup: https://imaginecup.microsoft.com/en-us/compete/whycompete
- American Computer Science League: https://www.acsl.org
- Congressional App Challenge: https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us
- TeamsCode: https://www.teamscode.org
- CodeWars: https://hpecodewars.org
Participate in coding and other information technology (IT)-related summer exploration programs that are offered by colleges and universities, high schools, and park districts. Examples include the variety of IT camps that are available from iDTech (https://www.idtech.com), Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (https://buildyourfuture.withgoogle.com/programs/computer-science-summer-institute), and Penn Summer High School Coding Camps (https://summer.sas.upenn.edu/programs/high-school).
- 3-D Printing Specialists
- Agile Coaches or Trainers
- Artificial Intelligence Specialists
- Augmented Reality Developers
- Automation Engineers
- Autonomous Vehicle Safety and Test Drivers
- Back-End Developers
- Big Data Developers
- Biometrics Systems Specialists
- Blockchain Developers
- Chief Information Officers
- Chief Information Security Officers
- Chief Robotics Officer
- Clinical Data Managers
- Cloud Engineers
- Computer and Office Machine Service Technicians
- Computer and Video Game Designers
- Computer Network Administrators
- Computer Programmers
- Computer Support Service Owners
- Computer Support Specialists
- Computer Systems Programmer/Analysts
- Computer Trainers
- Cryptocurrency Specialists
- Customer Success Managers
- Cybersecurity Architects
- Data Entry Clerks
- Data Processing Technicians
- Data Scientists
- Data Warehousing Specialists
- Database Specialists
- Deepfake Professionals
- Digital Agents
- Digital Workplace Experience Engineers
- Document Management Specialists
- Driverless Car Engineers
- Electrical Engineering Technologists
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineering Technicians
- Electronics Engineers
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- Embedded Systems Engineers
- Enterprise Architects
- ETL Developers
- Fiber Optics Technicians
- Full Stack Developers/Engineers
- Futurists
- Geospatial Analytics Specialists
- Graphic Designers
- Graphics Programmers
- Hardware Engineers
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- Help Desk Representatives
- Information Assurance Analysts
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- Information Technology Consultants
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- Information Technology Project Managers
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- Internet Consultants
- Internet Developers
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- JavaScript Developers
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- Personal Privacy Advisors
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- Software Designers
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- Solutions Architects
- Systems Setup Specialists
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- Technical Writers and Editors
- Technology Ethicists
- Unity Developers
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- Visual Interaction Designers
- Wireless Service Technicians
