I'm a 15-year-old with a decent amount of programming experience thanks to my dad, who's a software engineer. I've really enjoyed working on coding projects from the ground up. Currently, I'm taking CS50x and CS50p to solidify my understanding of the basics, and I'm looking to dive into AI projects, so I'm considering CS50ai as well. I'm curious about whether the certificates from these courses have any real value when it comes to landing internships. While I know that actual skills matter more than certificates for jobs, I'm thinking that having these could potentially help me get an internship, which might look good for university admissions. So, can certificates from CS50 help me secure high school internships?
2 Answers
Congrats on your programming journey! The CS50 courses are awesome for building a foundation, but keep in mind that many HR folks might not recognize those certificates since they’re not traditional credentials. Instead, focus on creating a GitHub repo that showcases your projects. A solid portfolio can definitely stand out more than a piece of paper!
It depends on where you are. In the U.S., most internships require you to be at least 18, but if you're in Europe, high school internships are more common. My advice would be to prioritize getting into a good college, as that’s where top companies recruit interns. Build real projects instead of just collecting certificates, and maybe contribute to open-source projects to gain some experience. Colleges and companies look for hands-on skills!
Thanks for the insight! I'm in Europe, so I will definitely look into open-source projects.