Welcome to 'How to Get Into Software Development'

Welcome!

In this short course, you’ll discover how to take your initial steps toward a career in software development. Over the course of two weeks, you will complete 4 activities:

1. Meet the team

Imagine your first job in a development company! You will meet lots of different people who have different jobs in a development team and this is your chance to learn about the many different jobs and roles within a software development team.

Unlike what you might see in movies and TV, where developers often work alone, in real life teamwork is crucial. In this course, you’ll discover the different team members such as project managers and sysadmins and see how they all contribute to the development process.

2. Being a great software developer

A great developer isn’t just a good programmer. They also understand the legal, social and ethical issues in development. In this short introduction, we’ll discuss important subjects that every developer should be familiar with. This includes learning how to protect your intellectual property and understanding the significance of data security. These are crucial topics for anyone aiming to become a skilled developer.

3. Starting your career

The world of software development can feel a bit daunting if you don’t have a background in coding. In this activity, you’ll find out more about the kinds of roles you might see posted on job sites, and the different sectors where developers are hired. You will get the chance to research local roles and think about some of the skills you might want to develop.

4. Getting your first role in development

In the final activity, you’ll find out about the process of getting a job in software development. From filling in the application form, to interview tasks, to a behind-the-scenes peek at how jobs shortlist candidates, this will be an opportunity for you to understand what recruiters look for in an early career developer.

This course is part of the Click Start collection of short courses provided by the University of Leeds. Click Start is a nationwide training programme developed by the Institute of Coding (IoC), supported by a consortium of industry leaders, educators, and outreach providers, and funded by Nominet. Click Start aims to diversify the tech industry and address the UK’s digital skills gap.

Learning objectives

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Describe the range of roles within software development and the different skill profiles needed to succeed
• Discuss some of the challenges in software development, including social, legal and ethical concerns
• Explain the different sectors where a software developer might work.

How the course works

• The course is divided into two weeks.
• Each week there will be two activities, with a range of different tasks for you to complete at your own pace.
• The course is not facilitated, but is designed to support peer learning through online discussions.
• There will be a range of quizzes, reading sections, videos, and chances for you to discuss questions with other learners; this can be a great way of getting different viewpoints and ideas, so do use these chances to network with your peers and share your ideas!
• Finally, you will take the assignment at the end to earn your certificate. The pass mark is 70% and you will also have to complete 90% of the steps in order to get your certificate.

Click Start

This course is part of the Click Start collection of short courses provided by the University of Leeds. Click Start is a nationwide training programme developed by the Institute of Coding (IoC), supported by a consortium of industry leaders, educators, and outreach providers, and funded by Nominet. Click Start aims to diversify the tech industry and address the UK’s digital skills gap.

Extra resources

As you complete the course you may come across terms and references that require further explanation. To help with this, there is a glossary that you can view and refer to at any point in the course.