Coding Classes Toronto

Coding—a term often used synonymously with computer programming—is the practice of creating instructions in programming languages for computers or other devices to interpret and translate into actionable tasks or solutions to problems. Ada Lovelace, the daughter of Lord Byron, is commonly considered the first programmer, though it wasn’t until the 1940s—a century after Lovelace wrote the first known machine algorithm—that Plankalkül became the first high-level programming language. The majority of the core languages used today in coding were developed in the 1980s and 1990s, when C++, Python, Java, JavaScript, and other languages were crafted that continue to be used daily by developers, programmers, data professionals, and others to perform essential tasks across industries.

What Can You Do with Coding Training?

Learning to code empowers learners to communicate with computers using programming languages, enabling them to build websites, mobile applications, and software and otherwise solve problems across industries. Coding is as integral a part of data analysis and visualization as it is for building video games and creating augmented and virtual reality experiences. The list of things coding can enable professionals to do is seemingly endless, ranging from creating accessibility tools and life-saving biotech to smart home devices and wearable sports tech.

Coding is a useful tool for a variety of creatives who may wish to build and maintain their own portfolio websites, applications, or other components of their web presence. Hobbyists sometimes also use it to create digital art or to build tools to support their favorite activities such as meal planning or workout tracking.

What Will I Learn in a Coding Class?

While specific class topics will vary, some of the skills commonly covered in coding classes are listed below.

Programming Languages

Students typically learn Python, JavaScript, Java, or other programming languages in their coding classes so they can learn to give precise instructions to devices. This involves learning the syntax, data types, control structures, and other nuances of the languages and when and how to use the language in their coding work.

Problem-Solving and Algorithms

Coding classes teach learners the skills they need to break down complex problems into bite-sized parts and develop step-by-step solutions. Students also learn the processes required to design efficient procedures for solving problems or performing tasks known as algorithms in the programming world.

Web Development

Many coding classes cover web development extensively, teaching students how to use their new skills to build websites and create web applications. The curricula for these classes often include HTML for structuring content, CSS for styling, and JavaScript for adding interactivity.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is an essential skill for any programming or development professional who diligent students will pick up in any high-quality coding class. In these programs, learners gain experience in analyzing problems, evaluating different approaches, and making informed decisions about the best coding solutions for various scenarios.

How Hard is It to Learn Coding?

Learning to code has a well-earned reputation for being a challenging endeavor for most. While the basics can be relatively easy to grasp for some—especially for those learning their second, third, or fourth programming language—achieving a professional level of proficiency requires focus, time, and hard work. Beginners can learn to write simple programs in a few weeks of a full-time bootcamp, but extensive study of problem-solving techniques and programming principles is essential for developing the skills to code more complex applications. Ultimately, the challenges of learning to code can be overcome with dedication, focused effort, and the guidance of a mentor or live instructor.

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Coding?

Abstract thinking, logical problem-solving, and debugging—the process of identifying and fixing errors in code—are often cited as some of the most challenging aspects of learning to code. Asynchronous operations and object-oriented programming are other areas where many learners struggle. Despite these challenges, even the most difficult elements of coding can be mastered with hard work and dedication.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Coding?

A learner’s background, goals, and learning approach are all factors in determining the length of time it will take for them to learn coding. An understanding of basic programming concepts and writing simple scripts is obtainable for most within a few months of hands-on training. However, one to two years of consistent practice is necessary to reach true proficiency for most learners. While a bootcamp can help students learn enough coding to qualify for an entry-level job in a matter of a few months, any working coding professional will ultimately be learning their entire career as they keep up with continuous advancements and innovations in the tech field.

Should I Learn Coding in Person or Online?

Meeting in a brick-and-mortar classroom or computer lab, in-person coding classes are the most traditional learning format, many people seek out this familiar classroom experience, especially for the benefit of learning with the real-time guidance and feedback of a live instructor. However, these benefits are also easily accessible—and without the hassle of a commute—in a live online class led by a live instructor in a teleconferencing classroom.

Asynchronous, self-paced classes are an alternative virtual learning option featuring pre-recorded lectures packaged together within a curriculum without any scheduled class sessions or project deadlines. While some students appreciate the flexibility of this approach, it lacks the support provided by a live instructor, easily leading students to get stuck on common roadblocks or lose motivation.

Can I Learn Coding Free Online?

The internet is overflowing with free coding learning resources, including articles, forums, podcasts, YouTube videos, and free online coding seminars like those offered by Noble Desktop. While these are great tools for learning the vocabulary and basic concepts and supplementing paid training with additional viewpoints, these are generally insufficient for developing professional coding skills. The vast majority find that learning such a complex skill set as coding requires the support of a live instructor’s real-time guidance and feedback, whether in an in-person or live online coding class or bootcamp.

What Should I Learn Alongside Coding?

Aspiring coding professionals can benefit from developing a diverse skill set, including adeptness with version control systems like Git for collaborative development, mastery of SQL for back-end work, and UI and UX expertise for user-friendly front-end development. Meanwhile, data professionals will wish to complement their coding skills with statistical analysis and machine learning knowledge. Finally, strong communication skills are a plus for any coder who will be working with a team or clients or who will ever need to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Industries That Use Coding

Coding skills are a solid foundation for building a career in Toronto, which forms part of the 114-kilometer Silicon Valley North stretching between the city and Kitchener-Waterloo. Many of Canada’s shortage of 300,000 tech workers are needed in the Greater Toronto Area, where a wide variety of industries are actively seeking coding talent. Technology and software development, financial services, healthcare and life sciences, and creative and digital media are a few of the city’s industries that offer an exceptional number of opportunities for coding professionals in Toronto’s diverse economy.

Technology and Software Development

Toronto is home to numerous established tech companies and startups, where coding is used for developing web and mobile applications, cloud computing solutions, and innovative software products. Languages like JavaScript, Python, and C# are particularly popular, with JavaScript dominating the web development landscape.

Financial Services

As Canada’s financial capital, Toronto hosts the headquarters of major banks and financial institutions. In this sector, coding professionals develop and maintain banking software, trading platforms, and FinTech applications. Java remains a popular choice for back-end systems in finance due to its security features, while Python is a staple in data analysis and algorithmic trading.

Healthcare and Life Sciences

Toronto’s healthcare sector relies extensively on coding professionals in its hospitals, research institutions, and biotech companies. Python is particularly popular in this field due to its data analysis capabilities and extensive scientific libraries. Additionally, languages like R are useful in statistical analysis in medical research. Meanwhile, a wide variety of programming languages are used in developing bioinformatics tools, medical imaging software, and electronic health record systems.

Creative and Digital Media

Toronto’s thriving creative industry encompasses film, television, gaming, and digital media, all of which are always looking for coding professionals. However, opportunities are most abundant in video game development and the interactive digital experience sector. Languages like C++ and C# are central to the game development process, while web-based interactive media is more likely to rely on JavaScript and frameworks like Three.js.

Coding Job Titles and Salaries

Professionals with coding skills can expect highly competitive salaries in a variety of roles. Software Engineers are well compensated for their enormous role in creating applications and systems in Toronto, typically earning between CA$77,000 and CA$133,000, with the top 10% of earners making CA$170,000 or higher. Meanwhile, Toronto Web Developers who focus on website design and maintenance boast salaries ranging from CA$79,000 to CA$103,000. The similar position of Full Stack Developer earns its name from its wide range of skills and responsibilities, with these professionals capable of performing and expected to attend to both front-end and back-end tasks. The professionals can expect to make between CA$87,000 and CA$136,000 annually when working in Toronto. Finally, Toronto-based Front-End Developers, with their highly specialized focus in user interface development, can anticipate salaries in the range of CA$72,000 and CA$110,000.

Coding Classes Near Me

For those looking for coding classes in the Toronto area, General Assembly offers a 12-week Software Engineering Bootcamp that covers full-stack web development. The in-person program at their Toronto campus teaches students to build applications using various frameworks and APIs. One of the priciest options on the market, it provides comprehensive training for beginners looking to start a career in software engineering.

Juno College of Technology offers a comprehensive 65-hour introductory Web Development course in Toronto that provides students with a solid foundation in HTML and CSS. Participants also learn responsive design and build multiple web projects from scratch to include in their portfolios.

The University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies provides a Coding Boot Camp that prepares participants to work in web development in 24 weeks or part-time classwork. Students learn HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, PHP, Bootstrap, jQuery, and other full-stack development tools while also benefiting from career support services.

New Horizons’ Python with Data Science is a 2-day course for Software Developers, IT Architects, and Data Scientists. The class builds upon these professionals’ prior knowledge of statistics and programming to introduce them to Python’s theoretical and technical applications in data science. By the end of the program, students will know methods for repairing and normalizing data and how to aggregate and group data.

For those preferring online options, Noble Desktop offers two highly reviewed live online certificate programs. Their Full-Stack Web Development Certificate is a 420-hour course covering front-end and back-end technologies, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Node.js. Perks include their proprietary workbooks, a free retake option, and ample career support.

Noble Desktop’s Software Engineering Certificate is a 510-hour bootcamp ideal for aspiring Software Engineers of any experience level, including beginners. Like their Full-Stack Web Development Certificate, it is available on a full-time or part-time schedule and in-person in NYC or live online. It covers the same material as their full-stack certificate, as well as React, Python, and Django. Bootcamp participants will enjoy the same perks as those who attend the Full-Stack Web Development Certificate program.

Coding Corporate Training

Noble Desktop provides custom coding training solutions for those looking to train multiple team members in their organization. Companies in Toronto have the option of purchasing bulk vouchers to attend live online classes, arranging a live online coding program tailored to their needs, or flying in an instructor from Noble Desktop to provide onsite training at their location. Reach out to Noble via email to begin a conversation about how they can help your team reach their full coding potential.