A level student thinking of becoming a coder.

[eek]

I really like the idea of a Raspberry PI with a starter kit if the kid is keen. I bought my kid one and we just finished making it into a Alexa device and that was a great experience. We used the starter kit and breadboard to enable the LEDs.

If you don't want to spend that much, go for a BBC microbit (BBC micro:bit Starter Kit — Cool Components It's less than £20 and he can learn to use python to interact with sensors and leds

Why a raspberry pi? Just get a laptop and let him do what he wants.

Raspberry pi's a great if you need hardware for particular reasons but they need a screen for work by which point you may as well get a laptop and use that.

Then Python, Javascript or even the Power Platform (if he is the sort of person who wants to see things appear quickly).

[Zigenare]

Why a raspberry pi? Just get a laptop and let him do what he wants.

Raspberry pi's a great if you need hardware for particular reasons but they need a screen for work by which point you may as well get a laptop and use that.

Then Python, Javascript or even the Power Platform (if he is the sort of person who wants to see things appear quickly).

Let them build their own computer. The Z80 is still available, as is the 65C02. There are plenty of designs available on the web and tbh if I was interviewing a software engineer I'd look more favourably at someone who has a grasp of hardware and the ability to write software that utilises resources efficiently.

[minestrone]

I just write any old thing and tell them they have to invest in bigger resources.

[NotAllThere]

Let them build their own computer. The Z80 is still available, as is the 65C02. There are plenty of designs available on the web and tbh if I was interviewing a software engineer I'd look more favourably at someone who has a grasp of hardware and the ability to write software that utilises resources efficiently.

Or even a level lower. Chip design. There's a great elementary course here, and a journalistic, Pullitzer prize account of building a new chip (and computer), here.

[SimonMac]

Skip University and go for an apprenticeship

[eek]

Skip University and go for an apprenticeship

+1 to that - you will get the degree while also earning money and getting 3 years experience...

[northernladuk]

Skip University and go for an apprenticeship

Definitely the way I'd go. I did thst and both my kids are so that would be my advice as well.

[SimonMac]

+1 to that - you will get the degree while also earning money and getting 3 years experience...

You will also regularly get tulip faced and provide countless entertainment for the contractors you work with while you fall in and out of love with a fellow cohort

[eek]

You will also regularly get tulip faced and provide countless entertainment for the contractors you work with while you fall in and out of love with a fellow cohort

Or shock as you discover car insurance can cost £2500 for a year and they have to pay it upfront as the insurance company only offers monthly payments on policies below £2000....

[northernladuk]

If he is only thinking about it now and not coding now - does he really want to deep down?

My nephew has 10 years coding experience and he is only 20 (gets £50K a year the little git)


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I would totally agree with you but with a 22 and an 18 year old ive learnt it just doesn't happen now. I was staggered to see the number of kids coming to the end of their A levels without a clue what they want to do. A couple did but that vast majority had little idea and no passion as you say.

Apparently it's the way it is now, not like back in our day.