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Dated: Feb. 08, 2012

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How I Learned Computer Skills Without Attending College

You wouldn't go to a doctor who had never been to medical school, or hire a lawyer who never studied law. One side-effect of a world advancing as rapidly as ours is that fields are becoming more and more specialized and narrow. People can no longer get by on general knowledge in their careers, something I found out for myself not too long ago. I'd been out of high school for two years, scraping by on my own and picking up scraps of programming as I went. I saw all of the self-taught programmers breaking into the IT industry, and I hoped to do the same. After all, IT is one of the few industries out there where being creative and a quick learner is more important than a degree. But no matter how much potential I had, I found my applications going unanswered. I didn't understand. Finally, a company that turned me down answered my request for an honest evaluation. I was told, quite bluntly, that I was not at a professional skill level.

For a few days after this, I was so discouraged that I resigned myself to a life of meaningless minimum-wage labor. But determination is another key trait for computer programmers, and I began to rethink my position. Clearly, my haphazard skillset was not enough. I needed some sort of organized education if I was ever going to land a real job. The most valuable and recognized form of education is, of course, a college degree. Unfortunately I, like many others, knew that college was not an option. Even if I could afford four years of books and tuition, I found the prospect of wasting my time and effort on meaningless general courses and outdated curricula off-putting. Computers are changing so quickly that colleges can't keep up. Why would I want to pay someone for information I would never use?

College is the easy option for those looking to build an impressive resume. But those of us who can't take the easy way have to look elsewhere for our education. But what other choices did I have? The most obvious answer would be to hit the same books used at universities, although once again cost became an issue. Without a professor's guidance, I was faced with giant textbooks and no idea what to prioritize. They were also just plain boring, and I quickly found my enthusiasm waning. Then I started looking through free online tutorials. The problem with them was that they were very hard to form into a cohesive lesson. Usually, the tutorial covered one specific concept or process, and never linked it to anything else. Students can learn as many threads as they like, but they'll never be able to weave a tapestry without being given the right tools. Plus, there was no way to measure the quality of these free products. As much as I loved saving money, I found contradictory explanations everywhere. No one could agree on the best way to achieve something, because there were so many ignoramuses competing with actual professionals. I wasted a lot of time attempting to learn this way, going round in circles and lacking the focus needed to make true progress.

So, with college and books being too expensive and free tutorials being unreliable, what did I eventually settle upon? By the time I gave up on free tutorials, I was feeling very discouraged. I wondered if there was simply no way for someone in my position to get into IT. Then, I came across through TechiWarehouse.com and things really turned around. Not only could I afford it, but I found myself genuinely enjoying my studies. offers online video courses on almost every technical topic imaginable. I began taking online courses with by brushing up on my basic programming languages, and then branched out into more complex subjects. I loved how I could try a certain subject, such as CAD, and simply leave it without any extra cost or penalty if I didn't like it. I found that my favorite field was software programming, and had a whole host of courses to help me sharpen my skills. With over 1000 courses and nearly 100,000 lessons to choose from, I was never wanting for variety or depth. And the clear, compelling visual aids helped me learn faster than any book.

Today, I have a job designing computer software applications, and I still subscribe to . Why? Because in an industry where change is the only constant, it helps to have a little knowledge on your side. Those of us who can't afford college learn something no professor can teach: how to think for ourselves and achieve our goals. We aren't coddled or pampered, and because of this we emerge into the job market all the stronger for it. If you want to be like me and make your own way in the world, I highly recommend 's online courses to help you gain the skills you need to impress employers. It made all the difference for me, and I'm sure it can help you too.

Now that you've gotten free know-how on this topic, try to grow your skills even faster with online video training. Then finally, put these skills to the test and make a name for yourself by offering these skills to others by becoming a freelancer. There are literally 2000+ new projects that are posted every single freakin' day, no lie!

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