Transforming Your Career: A Path from Design to Tech

After dedicating 9 years to a non-tech career, transitioning into technology can seem daunting. Whether you're considering web, mobile, or UX/UI roles after a career gap, this guide aims to provide honest advice and practical steps to help you make this transition.

Assessing Your Interests and Learning Online

First, identify what excites you the most within the tech world. Online platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and others offer rich resources for learning programming, design, and development. Start by exploring subjects that intrigue you. For instance, if you find yourself interested in web development, explore HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Patience is key in this process. Take your time to learn, experiment, and build small projects. Learning to program requires both theoretical knowledge and practical application. Don't rush; allowing yourself to immerse in these subjects gradually will lead to a better understanding.

Understanding the Shift in the Design Industry

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning is significantly impacting the design industry. As a designer, you've likely witnessed the shift towards using cheap stock photography, crowdsourced designs, and AI-generated content. This trend is expected to consolidate into a “Design-as-a-Service” subscription model, where AI will generate designs based on business data. This could mean fewer freelance gigs and junior positions due to the potential of designer-bot software to handle repetitive tasks.

According to many entrepreneurs, human creativity remains a critical skill in the future, though its role in conjunction with AI is still unclear. Mark Cuban’s prediction of the most sought-after job skill has been reaffirmed by LinkedIn data, emphasizing the importance of being adaptable and prepared for the unknown in the tech industry.

Core Tech Skills to Master

To thrive in a tech career, start with learning the fundamentals. Programming is the cornerstone, and it's about solving problems using computers. While PHP, JavaScript, and Swift are specific languages, the process of programming – understanding how to design algorithms and solve logic issues – is the core skill to hone.

Once you have a grasp of programming basics, you can progress to web technologies like HTML and CSS, and then explore AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML). For mobile app development, learn Swift for iOS and Java or Kotlin for Android. These core technologies will form the foundation of your tech career transition.

Adapting to Change

Expect the unexpected in this rapidly evolving tech landscape. Technology is advancing too quickly to guarantee career relevancy. The best advice is to stay curious, learn continuously, and adapt to changes as they occur. What may seem like a setback now could turn into a rewarding opportunity in the future.

In conclusion, transitioning from design to tech is a journey that requires patience, continuous learning, and an open mind. Embrace the challenges and adapt to the changes. Remember, your skills and creativity will always be valuable, and in the tech world, there is always something new to learn and master.