Code PaLOUsa 2017
I’ve been going to Code PaLOUsa for the past five or six years now and had the chance to speak there several years as well. Chances are you may not even know what Code PaLOUsa is, well it’s “software development madness” just like http://codepalousa.com says! Code PaLOUsa is a yearly developer conference in Louisville, KY. If you missed this year then I encourage you to check it out next year. Code PaLOUsa isn’t just for developers as there’s something for IT professionals of all backgrounds (business analysts, project managers, mentors, entrepreneurs, developers, consultants).
Now is the Best Time to be a Developer
Ok I just got done saying how Code PaLOUsa is not just for developers, but seriously now is the best time to be a developer isn’t it? Technology has never been more abundant in our everyday lives. Take a moment to look around you and you may see Apple TVs, Amazon Echos, tablets, smart TVs, and let’s not forget the smartphones that most assuredly in your pockets. Along with all these amazing devices come the many backing technologies for software developers to interact with the devices. Technologies like the Bot Framework, Docker, Elastic Stack, and mobile frameworks like Xamarin, NativeScript, Swift, Objective-C, and Java. The technology soup is loaded with all kinds of ingredients, and there’s something for every developer.
Now is the best time to be a developer because you can choose what you want to learn and what you want to work on. Code PaLOUsa 2017 was the place to learn about all these things; and speaking of learning…
Learn Something New
Another big takeaway for everyone at Code PaLOUsa was to learn something new. This doesn’t just go for developers to branch out and learn a new framework or try a new tool, this goes for everyone. The learn something new concept was highlighted on Thursday during the pre-keynote talk where Brostein Mike Branstein challenged everyone to learn something new while attending the conference. Mike’s challenge was then followed up by keynote speaker Jay Harris (and I swear this was not planned) whom talked about chasing squirrels and challenged everyone to branch out and chase that squirrel, new framework, or new technology. In the end, if you do branch out and learn something new it will make you a better IT professional. Most importantly however, don’t be afraid to try something new and don’t be afraid of learning something new.
Opportunity is Everywhere
I heard a lot of statistics talked about at Code PaLOUsa this year, like the following: there is only 1% unemployment rate in IT. While I am not here to dispute that statistic (a quick google search can reveal more details), it does appear that IT professionals are definitely in demand. If you have a LinkedIn profile you’ve probably experienced recruiters of all sorts contacting and connecting with you already. Going to a conference like Code PaLOUsa is a great place to network even if you aren’t looking for a new job or new career because you never know what the future holds. And speaking of a new job or career, there is plenty of opportunity to start a new career in IT. Attending a conference or user group is a great way to learn about the many programs available to you. Two Louisville programs were highlighted at Code PaLOUsa this year: Software Guild and Code Louisville.
TypeScript is Still Awesome
Four years ago I learned about a new language called TypeScript; when I learned about TypeScript there were many other languages fighting for the attention of developers (and most of these languages still exist today). TypeSCript, CoffeeScript, and other similar languages all have something in common: they aim to add magic pixie dust to JavaScript and make JavaScript better as a whole. These languages are implementations of the evolution of JavaScript.
So what does this have to do with Code PaLOUsa? Well, I learned about these languages by attending Code PaLOUsa. The following week after the conference I was still completely jazzed up about TypeScript. I was so pumped about this new language I took spent every free moment I could speaking with my co-workers about it and I haven’t stopped beating the drum since. And you know what? I’m not going to because TypeScript is still awesome!
Fast forward to this year at Code PaLOUsa where some of my co-workers attended one of the many TypeScript sessions. After the sessions I made sure to follow up with them and ask them what they learned and the told me, “Hey Nick, you know how you’ve been talking about TypeScript? I’m going to learn more about it because it looks awesome”. Mission successful! If you don’t know anything about TypeScript then don’t be afraid to learn something new and head on over to https://www.typescriptlang.org.
In Conclusion
So in conclusion, now is a great time to be an IT professional because there are opportunities to learn something new and put your skills to use everywhere. So maybe I’ll see you at Code PaLOUsa 2018! Oh and TypeScript is still awesome.
