Hey everyone! I'm currently a junior in college studying civil engineering, where coding isn't a necessity. Nevertheless, I've started learning Python through Harvard's free CS50 course because I find it intriguing and want to gain a skill that makes me stand out among my classmates. Plus, I'm hoping it could open doors for some freelance projects to help with some extra income.
I chose Python for its beginner-friendly nature and its capabilities in areas like data processing and automation. My goal isn't to master it but to become proficient enough to market myself as a freelancer. I'm planning to dedicate about 1.5 to 2 years to learning and practicing coding projects.
A big dream of mine is to travel during my 20s and ideally earn some income remotely, like through data cleaning. I'm curious about how learning Python might enable that, and I have a couple of questions:
1) Do you think a couple of years learning Python will make me competitive against AI tools that can code quickly and for free?
2) If I focus on areas like web scraping or automation, could I realistically earn $50+ per hour as a freelancer? Thanks in advance for your insights!
1 Answer
AI is basically a tool that developers can use. It doesn't make developers obsolete. That said, freelance work can be challenging to break into without some professional experience under your belt. Sure, it's possible, but it really depends on you and the effort you're willing to put in. Remember, while web scraping can be a skill, it's pretty competitive out there, and aiming for $50/hour might be overly ambitious with so many freelancers willing to work for less.

Thanks for your response! That makes sense. I'll keep learning and see how it unfolds.