Computer programming is a really hot industry these days as computers have become a foundational part of life around the planet. Most of humanity is reliant on some kind of computer programming, whether it is for work in the office or electricity at home. Even in third world countries, computers are often used in government offices and some higher education facilities. So if you are worried about job sustainability, programming is definitely worth a second look.
The process of becoming a programmer can really vary. Generally, we see two kinds of programmers in the industry. The first is a college trained professional who took the classes, did the projects, and suffered through years of lectures before ever touching the keyboard to do anything creative and original. While these guys deserve their own brand of respect, they are often “inside the box” in their programming solutions because they have been trained to process information in a more uniform environment.
The other segment of programmers is made up of the DIY guys. These are the computer nerds you went to high school with that ended up making more money than you could’ve made going through medical school. They have a natural knack for computers and have spent hours teaching themselves programming by studying the methods of others and doing a lot of trial and error on their own.
So when you want to become a programmer, you have two basic options and your choice will depend mainly on how you want your career to go. If you are pretty inexperienced and not naturally drawn to computers, enrolling in some college classes is probably your best bet, at least to get started. If you are a self starter that already has a pretty good working knowledge of computers and software development, then you can probably learn the business on your own through independent reading and talking to experienced programmers online and in your community.