Web development beginner.

punk_one82

I've been learning web design in my college course since around October. So far we've covered the basics of html,xhtml and css. I can design fairly basic sites using css. Any advice on how to get experience developing websites? Do any web developers take people on to learn from them? It's an area of work I'd love to get into after college. I'm only a first year btw.

The Mighty Ken

The best advice anyone can give you is to apply for a junior position with an established Web agency, eLearning company or similar and get experience. Oh... and work your ass off, absorbing as much knowledge as you can.

punk_one82

Would a junior position like that be full-time or would it be possible to do it part-time in the evenings and at weekends maybe? Cheers for the advice.

p

Probably not going to be easy to get a part-time job, since most companies work 9-5, but you might get a summer job. I'd suggest keep playng around with web stuff and see if you still enjoy it. Thankfully it's quite easy to get your own sites up and running nad see results quickly.

I'd recommend doing sites for free for friends relatives and college events & societies if possible. It's a great way to learn by doing as well as build up experience and a portfolio that will help you when applying for jobs. Also, if you're really into it see if you can take specific options or modules in college to try work towards it.

G'luck.

John_Mc

punk_one82 wrote: »

I've been learning web design in my college course since around October. So far we've covered the basics of html,xhtml and css. I can design fairly basic sites using css. Any advice on how to get experience developing websites? Do any web developers take people on to learn from them? It's an area of work I'd love to get into after college. I'm only a first year btw.

The only way is to start teaching yourself by taking on personal projects in your spare time. No one will go near you if you can't show them the work you've completed by yourself or discuss it at the very least.

Speaking from personal experience, I did several websites for friends and family and each was a learning experience in itself. Eventually, I was able to get paid for them and when it came to looking for a job, I was able to use these as my portfolio.

Goodluck with it!

punk_one82

Cheers for the advice lads. I'll take it all on board.

mjconn

If you want to just be a web desinger and not a programmer, then just set up a blog (proper blog, just for work examples, cv, etc) and keep it as professional as possible (no funny user name, bold pictures etc). You can then upload gifs of the example websites you have done. The pros of this is that it can give a good insite into your design skills without having to host sites. Even if you can get the pages validated in W3 validator and display the validation image somewhere, then better still.

The con's are that it can't show any page interaction, and if you are getting into the programming side (asp.net, php, javascript), you will need to show this. But the stuff I mentioned in the first paragraph should be a cheap way of getting your ideas to business/clients quicker.

punk_one82

I really like the blog idea. I think I'll set one up when I've a few more examples to show. I probably will get into the programming side of it eventually, but so far in college we've only touched on javascript and haven't really used it.

p

What are you studying in college by the way?

punk_one82

Computer Applications in DCU.

galwayguy22

Your only going to get the very basics of Web Development in a Computer Applications course.

If your very lucky you might get an up to date lecturer who will encourage you to use css and xhtml properly. But that's a long shot so you will really need to spend a lot of your own time learning these things.

p

Ahh, I went to DCU myself. I started doing CA then switched to Multimedia. I focused on the design-side of things though.

CA will give you a good grounding in programming & general software development. It's not perfect by any means, but if you focus on the web side of things as you progress you'll be well setup. At this stage though, just do what you enjoy and play around do silly projects and make loads of mistakes - that's the most important thing.


Also, you should join Redbrick. They give you free webspace and there's lots of Alumi on the forums who are really helpful too.

punk_one82

Aye, I haven't joined Redbrick yet but I intend to join either in semester 2 or next year. I think I'll concentrate on the web development side myself, even if none of my modules for semester 2 are focusing on that sort of stuff.

samhail

Have you done much graphics work ?
i always find it handy to be able to open up photoshop and throw a quick graphic together for a site.

punk_one82

Nah I haven't done much graphics. What type of stuff are you talking about? would it be possible to learn from online resources?

samhail

yeah i didnt do any courses just dossed around myself. picked up what i could from online

Axwell

Have a look at http://www.w3schools.com/
and www.lynda.com for online tutorials

punk_one82

Cheers.

pauldiv

Practise your skills every day and you will just keep learning and getting better.

Web design is a craft and a very rewarding one that lets you experiment freely with your tools and your imagination.

Get to master XHTML and CSS then PHP and the others will follow.

The Mighty Ken

pauldiv wrote: »

Web design is a craft...
Get to master XHTML and CSS then PHP and the others will follow.

I'd also be quick to point out that design and development are very different disciplines. A lot of Web designers think they need to learn PHP when it's actually a developers job. Inevitably people who try to design and write backend code are either very poor designers, very poor developers or in most cases, both! Only a microscopic minority are talented at both.

My advice would to be to decide whether you want to be a creative or technical type.

p

The Mighty Ken wrote: »

I'd also be quick to point out that design and development are very different disciplines. A lot of Web designers think they need to learn PHP when it's actually a developers job. Inevitably people who try to design and write backend code are either very poor designers, very poor developers or in most cases, both! Only a microscopic minority are talented at both.

My advice would to be to decide whether you want to be a creative or technical type.

Yea, this is a very important point, it's a good one to have an awareness of when thinking of career. I would add one thing to that though, which is the guy's still in college, so he doesn't need to make that decision just yet. He should still play around and do whatever he thinks is fun and enjoyable and keep that stuff at that back of his mind for when he graduates in 4 years time.

The Mighty Ken

p wrote: »

He should still play around and do whatever he thinks is fun and enjoyable and keep that stuff at that back of his mind for when he graduates in 4 years time.

Definitely. I started out trying to design and I just wasn't any use. Luckily I was always quite strong technically so I persued a career as a developer.

EDIT: And yes... playing around with design and development while you're in college, getting your hands dirty in everything is a really good idea. It'll give you an idea of which sector of the industry you want to get into.