One of the key goals of taking a career break was to learn how to code through a structured course. I am therefore very pleased to announce that I have completed a Python bootcamp!

For all that I have done, I have had very little experience with pure code, it has always been a bit beyond me. I came close to learning some Visual Basic many years ago, but at the time there was nothing I could have done with it that I could not have done through other means. I have cobbled together a few Bash scripts and some web extensions, but nothing really substantial.

As part of a pivot to a more tech-based role, I thought it only right that I use this opportunity to learn a coding language. I might never ever need it, but I would feel uncomfortable working alongside those who can code without it, and it will hopefully open me up to more exciting roles in the future.

I decided to learn Python for several reasons. It is reportedly straightforward for a beginner to pick up. It is used in many different ways from AI to the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. Looking at samples of the code beforehand, even if I did not know the details, I could get a feel for what it was doing.

Studying has not been easy but as a result of that, it has felt very rewarding. The main tool I was using was Project Juypter and notebook files, but due to me using the Snap version, some libraries would not install.  Juypter is a great tool (using that has been very educational in itself), but when I had a problem I switched over to VS Code and in one example I found an option that had greater automation than the solution.

This course has certainly been a good use of my time. I have learned how to code in Python, something that sharpens my tech skill set.