According to the TIOBE index, Python remains the most popular programming language in the world, a position it has occupied for years. This large, open-source programming language is one of the best first languages to learn for new programmers and it is incredibly vital for the fields of data science. While Python is a general-use programming language that can be used in almost any field, it is most commonly employed in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence projects. This means that once you learn the basics of using Python, you will be able to hone your skills in specific areas that are in demand on the cutting edge of technological development.
Python training tends to be focused on the field of study that students plan to pursue since the language itself is so versatile. Some courses emphasize data science training, which is one of the most common uses for Python. As more and more businesses and organizations rely on data collection and analysis, learning Python to collect, query, and analyze data is going to become ever more important to our daily lives. Other Python courses emphasize the emerging field of artificial intelligence and machine learning programs, both of which use Python algorithms to train machines to read and interpret huge datasets. Finally, some Python courses specifically ground their training in a specific field of data analysis, such as Python for Finance courses that teach students how to utilize Python in the financial sector.
For Adults & College Students
Since Python is such a versatile programming language, there are a wide array of different courses available for adults and college students. Even though summer training is most commonly thought of as something K-12 students do over summer break, there are a lot of viable Python summer courses available for adults.
Noble Desktop
Data Science Certificate Program: June 12th–July 11th, 2024 (Weekdays)
One of the most common uses of Python is within the field of data science and to assist students in a career shift into this field, Noble Desktop offers an immersive Data Science Certificate program. In this course, students will learn how to use Python and SQL to organize large datasets, build servers to store information, write programs to query the servers and use tools to visualize and interpret this data. Students enrolled in this course will also receive one-on-one career mentorship from professional data science experts to help them ease into the job search process. Anyone looking for a comprehensive Python learning experience should seriously consider enrolling in this course.
Python Developer Certificate Program: May 15th–June 2nd, 2024 (Weekdays)
Students looking for a more generalized Python education may want to consider enrolling in Noble’s Python Developer Certificate program. This class aims to train students to become professional Python Developers by teaching them the foundational elements of the programming language, its major libraries (including REST and Django), and a number of important programming tools like Git and GitHub. This course does have a prerequisite (students should be comfortable with basic programming and HTML/CSS), but it is an otherwise ideal introduction to the world of Python programming and comes with all of the professionalization benefits of Noble’s other certificate programs.
FinTech Bootcamp: June 12th–July 11th, 2024
Finance is one of the most rapidly growing industries in the country and companies are becoming increasingly reliant on big data to make sound financial decisions and predict market movements. Many of the most important tools in this process are built using Python, making this an important programming language for Financial Analysts to know how to use. Noble Desktop’s FinTech Bootcamp offers targeted instruction on how to use Python to build models, databases, visualizations, and other algorithms that are targeted for their use in the financial industry. This course is designed for students hoping to build a successful career in financial analysis and is a wonderful choice for investors and prospective entrepreneurs. By the end of the class, students will be ready to enter the financial industry as professional analysts.
NYC Data Science Academy
Introductory Python
NYC Data Science Academy offers an Introductory Python course that teaches students the basic functionalities of the programming language and its use in the field of data science. In this class, students will learn the basics of data wrangling, the process by which large amounts of data are organized and made available for interpretation. This course covers popular Python modules, such as Scipy, Pandas, and Seaborn, and the course aims to ensure that students have a basic understanding of Python programming and its capabilities before moving on to a more advanced course.
Data Science with Python: Data Analysis and Visualization
Once students have a firm grasp of Python fundamentals, they can enroll in one of NYC Data Science Academy’s advanced data science courses, such as their Data Analysis and Visualization course. In this class, students will learn the practical uses of Python for interpreting and visualizing the data that they have successfully wrangled. Students will learn how to use Python and its associated libraries to create visual representations, charts, and graphs that can be used to interpret huge amounts of data and communicate those interpretations to invested stakeholders.
Data Science with Python: Machine Learning
Machine learning is a major technology emerging in the field of data science and these machine learning tools tend to make significant use of Python. Machine learning is the process of training a computer to read and interpret huge amounts of data without the input of a human operator and it is becoming increasingly important in industries like the financial industry and the field of data science. Students can learn machine learning in courses such as NYC Data Science Academy’s Data Science with Python: Machine Learning program. Machine learning training will set students up for future success on the cutting edge of developments in the world of data science and as more and more companies come to rely on machine learning algorithms to do business, this training will set students up for potentially high-paying jobs.
BrainStation
Python Programming Online
BrainStation offers a beginner-friendly, certificate-granting Python programming course that will train students in the basic data science and visualization functions of the programming language. In this class, students will receive hands-on instruction on how to build and model databases in Python and they will learn how to use basic Python algorithms to organize, query, and interpret the data they are working with. This course is designed to prepare students for work in data-centered fields and intends to lay the foundation for additional, more field specific Python training.
Media Training
Python Intro
Media Training is a UK-based online training program that offers a Python Intro course for students interested in learning the basics of the programming language. In this course, students will learn the basic syntax of Python, its uses in data science, and practical numerical operations and functions within the language. This is a cursory course, so students will need additional training to turn their Python knowledge into a career, but this course is a good place to learn the foundational skills that you need to build a future in data science.
For High School Students & Teenagers
High school students interested in a future in computer science may want to consider getting a jump start on their education by enrolling in a summer high school Python course. Whether you are looking to learn data science for STEM purposes, working on the cutting edge of machine learning and AI technology, or preparing yourself for a career in finance, learning Python can help set you up for success.
NextGen Bootcamp
Python Data Science and Machine Learning Live Online: June 27–July 19, 2024, July 22–August 1, 2024, June 22–August 9, 2024, August 5–15, 2024
NextGen Desktop’s Python Data Science & Machine Learning program provides high school students with an immersive educational experience aimed at making them comfortable with the most common applications of Python. This course introduces students to the most important principles of data science and offers guided instruction in managing, organizing, and querying datasets. This course will teach students how to create graphs and charts to help visualize data and the course will conclude with students beginning to learn the basics of machine learning algorithms. By the end of this course, students can be confident in their data science skills and feel comfortable moving into more advanced data science training programs.
Computer Science Summer Certificate Program Live Online: June 27–July 19, 2024, June 27–August 1, 2024, July 22–August 15, 2024
Students who are looking to complement their Python training with additional programming skills may want to consider enrolling in NextGen’s Computer Science Summer Certificate program. In this class, students will learn the important uses of Python for data science functions alongside training in object-oriented programming using Java. This is an ideal course for novice programmers looking to learn a variety of programming languages and it is a great place to ensure that you have the foundational programming knowledge you need to continue with further training. Students enrolled in this course will learn to think like programmers and they will receive training in reading, analyzing, and debugging code.
Python Data Science and Machine Learning NYC: June 27–July 19, 2024, July 22–August 1, 2024, August 5–15, 2024
Many students find that it is easier for them to learn new skills in a dedicated classroom space as opposed to a digital classroom. These students may want to take a look at NextGen Bootcamp’s Python Data Science and Machine Learning program taught at their Manhattan campus. In this course, students will be able to work face-to-face with an experienced data science instructor in one of NextGen’s state-of-the-art computer science labs. Students will work on practical data science and analysis exercises alongside a cohort of fellow students with whom they can collaborate. This course is an ideal place to build important data science skills and gain important networking opportunities for later on in life.
Computer Science Summer Certificate Program NYC: July 22–August 15, 2024
Students hoping to learn a collection of computer programming skills in a dedicated classroom space, who can manage a commute to Manhattan, would greatly benefit from enrolling in the Computer Science Summer Certificate program offered through NextGen Bootcamp. In this course, students will receive hands-on training from expert instructors in the common functions of both Python and Java, two of the most popular programming languages in the world. In this class, students will learn foundational skills that they can carry with them regardless of what path their future computer science training takes. As a bonus, upon completing this course, students will receive a professional certificate of completion that they can add to their materials for a college application.
CodeWizardHQ
Python Language Track
CodeWizardHQ offers a dedicated high school Python language instruction track for students looking to learn Python as their first programming language. Comprising three multi-week tracks, this course is built for students who have no prior programming experience to become Python experts in just a summer's worth of study. Students will begin by learning basic Python, building simple programs with variables, functions and conditional statements to begin organizing and manipulating data sets. Then, students will learn intermediate and advanced skills, like building Python programs that interact with databases or working with multidimensional lists. This program track is a solid choice for students who are sure that they can see themselves working heavily with Python in the future.
iD Tech
Intro to Python Coding for Machine Learning
iD Tech offers a summer Intro to Python Coding for Machine Learning course that is perfect for students who have a bit of prior programming experience and want to apply that knowledge to focused machine learning training. In this class, students will learn the basics of how to build an AI program and the kinds of programming they will need to teach the AI how to solve simple problems. Students will also create a simple neural network that they can train to their own specifications, making this an ideal course for students who are interested in jump starting their future training in this cutting edge aspect of computer science.
Columbia University
Introduction to Programming with Python
Columbia University, located in New York City, is one of the many colleges which host summer training programs for high school students who are either just graduating and preparing for college or who are interested in a college level computer science training program. This Introduction to Programming with Python course gives students a feel for what it is like to attend a college-level computer science program and the material covers the fundamentals of computer programming, so even students without a background in coding can set themselves up for long-term success in a course like this. Columbia in particular teaches in-person programming at their NYC campus, so interested students should explore options through local colleges and they should examine what online training opportunities are available to them.
For Kids & Preteens
Many younger children have grown up alongside rapidly changing computer technology. As such, many kids & preteens may have an interest in computer science but be unsure of how they can start learning within the field. Parents who want to nurture their child’s creative desire to work with technology may want to consider enrolling them in a summer programming camp that teaches Python.
Outschool
All About Python Programming for Beginners
This beginner-friendly Python programming weekly summer program aims to teach students as young as 8 the basics of computer programming through lessons in Python. Students will learn how to write, read, compile, and debug Python programs and they will learn how computer programmers approach and solve problems. This course is an ideal introduction to the world of computer programming and, since Python is such an accessible and versatile language, it will set students up for long-term success in their future STEM education.
Coding With Kids
Python Track
Students as young as 8 can enroll in one of Coding With Kids live online summer courses, including their Python programming session. Students will take an introductory Python programming course to learn the basics of computer programming, then they will spend the remainder of the course using their Python programming skills to build simple, interactive games, like arcade and multiplayer games, that they will be able to show off and play on their own. This track is ideal for students who are interested in learning computer programming and game design skills, but the Python skills students learn will be applicable in virtually any future field.
iD Tech
Private Python Lessons
Another route to get your child hands-on experience working with Python is to enroll in a private tutoring session, such as the ones offered by iD Tech. These one-hour tutoring sessions can be purchased individually or as part of a package of 4, 8, or 12 lessons. Lessons can be customized to fit your child’s age, needs, and experience level, but in these sessions, students will learn the basics of computer programming and they will learn how to use Python to build rudimentary video games and programs that respond to user inputs.
Why Summer is the Perfect Time to Learn Python
Regardless of how old you are, summer is a great time to learn a new skill, Python included. Whether you are looking for a course for your child or to build your own career skills, there are a lot of reasons to consider summer Python training.
For younger children and high school students, the advantages of summer training are obvious. Students have long breaks during which they can benefit from structured instruction and hands-on Python training. Over the summer, students can receive focused training from experienced instructors that they wouldn’t expect to learn in their regular classes. This focused study helps students set themselves up for long-term success in their future STEM endeavors.
Adults and many college students who are looking for Python training won’t necessarily have the luxury of a long break from work during which they can dedicate themselves to learning Python. However, there are still good reasons to consider looking for a training program over the summer. Many of the expert instructors who teach these training programs have regular employment as instructors during the spring and fall semesters, so the extra time offered by the summer months means that there will be more courses offered. In addition, it may seem minor, but a lot of people simply find that they have more energy and brain power available when the weather is nice and the sun is out later, which can be the little difference between being burned out by a part-time Python course and succeeding.
How to Choose the Right Summer Python Course
Given how many different options there are for summer Python training, selecting a course can feel daunting, especially if you are looking for a course for someone other than yourself. Every course is going to approach Python training differently, so it is important to consider the style of instruction and the kinds of Python skills the class focuses on before enrolling in a summer program.
Parents looking to enroll elementary or middle school-aged children in a Python course should pay special attention to the delivery method of the summer program. Very young students are unlikely to learn anything more practical than very basic programming skills out of a summer course. Rather, these courses are designed to make computer programming feel fun and accessible to younger students so that they will desire to continue honing their skills as they grow older. Thus, parents considering a summer program for younger students should look for courses that seem like they will engage their children’s interest and curiosity, even if the specific Python lessons aren’t the most practical kind of programming education.
High school students will have a slightly better idea of what they want to get out of a summer Python programming course. Some students are confident that they are planning on going to college for a computer science education and should prioritize courses that aim to prepare students for college level programming classes. Many universities offer these programs either in person or online. Other students may be less certain that they want to pursue a specific Python training in college but are confident that they want to work in a field connected to data science. These students, including prospective entrepreneurs and investors, will want to find courses that teach practical Python programming skills that can be more easily applied to the field they plan on entering. Noble Desktop has collected some resources for students interested in comparing their options for high school summer Python courses.
Adults and college students will need to be more attentive to how a course aligns with their immediate career position and goals. Students who are interested in a new career in the field of data science or financial technology may want to look at courses like Noble Desktop’s Data Science Certificate program or their FinTech Bootcamp. These courses provide students with career-focused training designed to prepare them for entry into the job market as Data Scientists and Financial Analysts. Students who are looking for Python training but aren’t looking to make a significant career change may want to consider a shorter, more focused course, such as Noble’s Python Programming Bootcamp. These courses will provide students with the training they need to use Python in a professional context, but students looking for a major career change are likely to need more training.