How difficult is it to become an engineer? Difficulty might not be a wall, but a door | Riho Okuda

How difficult is it to become an engineer? Riho Okuda explains

I'm Riho Okuda. "Is it difficult to become an engineer?"
This is a question I often get from people who have just started programming.
To be honest, it is "not easy."
But it is "not impossible" either.
In fact, I believe it is a world where anyone has a chance if they have the desire to keep learning.

In this article, I would like to talk about the "difficulty of becoming an engineer" that I felt while learning myself,
including mental preparation and ways of thinking to overcome it.

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■ The true nature of difficulty is "information overload"

The biggest reason why people feel it is difficult to become an engineer is the overwhelming amount of information.
Programming languages, frameworks, tools, networks, databases...
The moment you start learning, unknown terms rain down on you like snow.

At first, I was also constantly confused, thinking, "What is Python?", "Are HTML and CSS different things?", and "Where do I use Git?"
There is infinite information on the internet, but I didn't know which was correct or where to start.
I think this "feeling of being lost in a sea of information" is the wall that many people hit first.

However, there is no need to give up here.
This is because you don't need to understand everything perfectly to become an engineer.
First, decide on one "thing you want to create."
For example, it could be "making a website" or "making an app."
Once your goal is decided, the technologies you need to learn will naturally narrow down.

■ "Persistence" is the key, not talent

When you are studying programming, there will definitely be moments when you think, "Maybe I don't have the talent."
Code that doesn't work as expected, errors you can't understand,
and the anxiety of not being able to keep up with the speed of others.

But what is needed for an engineer is "tenacity" rather than "talent."
The time you spend searching for the cause of an error is what becomes your skill.
Things you couldn't do once, you can understand the next day.
That accumulation will surely turn into real ability.

When I first started programming,
there was a time when it took me three hours to fix a single line of error.
However, in that process, I gradually learned "where and how to look."
Now, I can fix it in 10 minutes.
"Difficult" is just a temporary state before you get used to it.

■ Learning with the premise of "not knowing"

An engineer's job is also a "job of dealing with the unknown."
Even the most experienced veterans encounter "errors they've never seen before" or "new technologies" almost every day.
Therefore, it is normal to have things you don't understand.
What matters is how you act when you "don't understand."

• Read the official documentation

• Create and test a small sample

• Ask questions in the community

Just by continuing these three things, your speed of understanding will increase significantly.
There are many engineers on the internet who learn from each other.
Someone's question can become a hint for you, and your experience can help someone else.
That cycle of knowledge is one of the great things about the world of engineering.

■ Don't get the order of learning wrong

The biggest cause of increasing difficulty is getting the "order of learning" wrong.
As a beginner, you tend to be captivated by the latest technology.
But what is truly important is the "basics."

For example, in Python, there are syntax, conditional branching, loops, functions, and classes—.
If you understand these thoroughly, you can apply them even when you encounter other languages.
Rather than making flashy apps, first learn to write "code that you think through and make work yourself."
If you solidify your foundation without rushing, your growth speed will definitely increase later on.

■ Estimated study time and mindset

I am often asked, "How many hours does it take to become an engineer?"
This varies by individual, but it is said that it takesabout 300 to 500 hours to master the basics and be able to create simple appsto reach that point.

If you study for 10 hours a week, that's about six months to a year.
It is certainly not something you can master overnight.
But if you imagine yourself "having an app you made running" in half a year,
that journey will turn into something you look forward to.

The important thing is "not to seek perfection."
Even if there are parts you don't understand, just start working with your hands.
The "courage to move forward without understanding" is the shortest route to improvement.

■ The real difficulties in the field

I would also like to touch a little on the difficulty after becoming an engineer.
When you get a job or change careers and actually participate in development, you will encounter walls other than technology.

For example,

• The difficulty of reading other people's code

• Communication within a team

• Handling deadlines and requirement changes

There is a kind of "work with people" there that is different from when you are learning on your own.
Beyond just technical skills, the ability to communicate and a flexible mindset are also necessary.
But that is exactly why the rewards are so great.
The realization that the code you wrote is supporting someone's life—that feeling is irreplaceable.

■ "Difficulty" is a sign of growth

In the process of aiming to become an engineer, there may be moments when you feel, "This isn't for me."
However, that is by no means a negative thing.
Feeling that you "don't understand" is proof that your understanding is deepening.
When you truly knew nothing, you likely didn't even know "what you didn't understand" in the first place.
In other words, the moment you feel a wall, you have already taken a step forward.

Programming is a never-ending learning process.
Because new technologies are born one after another, you can always take on new challenges.
I believe that "difficulty" is not something to be feared, but a sign to open the next door.

Riho Okuda | Effort will surely take shape

The difficulty of becoming an engineer is felt differently by each person.
It doesn't matter if you are bad at math, come from a humanities background, or are older.
What is necessary is a "willingness to keep learning" and "tenacity to not give up."

I myself didn't understand the meaning of even a single line of code at first.
Even so, by accumulating understanding little by little,
I am now able to give shape to my own ideas.

The path to becoming an engineer is by no means flat.
However, that journey itself is a voyage of creation.
The time spent fumbling in the dark and the failures all become nourishment.

The very moment you feel it is difficult is proof that you are taking your first step as an engineer.

Riho Okuda