Should I Give Programming a Serious Try at 19 Despite the Uncertain Job Market?
Asked by
MellowCedar27
I'm 19 and from Morocco, and I feel completely unsure about my future. I originally wanted to study programming but was rejected from the program I applied to, and I've also been rejected from several general university programs. Recently, my uncle suggested programming to my father, who found a state-recognized private programming school costing about 1,500–2,000 MAD per month, which is a significant expense for my family. The problem is that I'm no longer sure programming is right for me. I know it can be difficult, the entry-level market is competitive, and I'm worried about spending money and time only to discover that I'm not capable of doing it or finding work afterward. I'm also considering vocational training in bakery and pastry, but I'm not especially passionate about that either. I'd like honest advice from people working in software development: Would you choose programming at 19 with no experience? How hard is getting a first job, how important is a university degree, and is a private school worth paying for? Can someone build a decent programming career without feeling a strong passion for it? I'm looking for practical answers rather than generic encouragement.
Answers
Find out why you were rejected from the earlier programs before deciding that you can’t succeed. If it was an entrance exam or missing prerequisite, improving those areas and applying again may be worth considering. A private school can provide structure, but it cannot replace your own practice, and paying tuition won’t guarantee a job. Ask current students and graduates what roles they actually obtained before committing.
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You don’t need a lifelong passion to have a decent career. Many people work in fields they find interesting or tolerable rather than deeply inspiring. The more important questions are whether you can handle several hours of focused problem-solving, learn independently, and continue when progress is slow. Try programming cheaply first, compare it with bakery or other vocational options, and choose based on the work you can realistically see yourself doing—not on pressure from family or fear about making the perfect decision.
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Before paying for the school, spend a few weeks testing the actual work for free. Follow a structured beginner course and see whether you can tolerate reading documentation, debugging, and solving problems when the answers aren’t obvious. You don’t need to feel passionate immediately, but you should at least be able to engage with the process. If you dislike it after a serious trial, you’ll have avoided a major financial mistake.
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Programming is still a viable career, but it isn’t an easy shortcut to employment. Your first job will be much easier with solid fundamentals, several good projects, and some kind of recognized education. A degree can open doors, especially with larger employers, although capable self-taught developers do succeed. I wouldn’t pay for a private course simply because it promises a certificate—check its curriculum, instructors, graduate outcomes, and whether employers actually recognize it. Also research the Moroccan market directly, since advice from other countries may not reflect local hiring.
SilverMango52: The field is changing quickly, particularly because of AI, but that doesn’t mean all programming jobs are disappearing. It does mean you’ll need to keep learning and use modern tools rather than relying only on basic coding skills.
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PaleOrbit6: That seems like the safest approach. Treat programming as a skill to evaluate, not as a career you have to commit to before knowing whether you can stand the day-to-day work.