Jason Bunyea ⋅ Brownsboro, AL Raytheon ⋅ 2 years experience

Hi Tony,
As someone who went through this process and got started in the computer science industry (I haven't added in all the details into my profile yet), I can speak with a certain degree of authority that is absolutely possible.

But, it isn't exactly easy.

First, 'computer science industry' is a very broad category. Do you mean cyber, software development, or something more Information Technology (hardware) related? This is probably the first question you need to answer for yourself as it will define what you need to do to reach your goal.

Second, how much experience do you have in that branch of computer science? Have you done any work in that area before? Have you taken any courses that relate? Do you have college credit?

Third, how much aptitude do you have for the field? I'm not going to lie to you, the field is not for everyone. Do you like computers? Do you like figuring things out? Do you like math? This will help you determine if the career is going to be any sort of fit. If it were easy and fun, everyone would do it and we wouldn't hear about the shortage of computer science professional.

So, the good news after saying all of that, is that none of these questions will necessarily mean that you can't get started in the industry. I had very little college when I ETS'd, and had never written a line of code on my own before I was 35. These questions will just let you know how much work is in front of you, and if it will be worth it in the long run.

If you definitely want to get started, and you're willing to do whatever it takes, then these are the steps I can recommend for the best chance of success:
- Find a school that has a Bachelor of Science, Computer Science program (For your best chances later on, try and find one that is ABET accredited. Don't worry what that is, it just means that the program has met criteria for the accreditation and might help you some.) that will accommodate your life and schedule (Florida State University has a completely online Bachelor's program that I attended)
- Figure out the requirements to get started in that program (For FSU above, I had to complete my AA at a community college with very specific classes)
- Most likely you want to try and get your prerequisite classes at a community college, or smaller school to save a few dollars. Complete your AA making sure you have all the classes you need for that Bachelor's program. (This may require looking for classes that your community college doesn't offer; you can take them from another school, often online. This is called being a 'transient student'.) *This step is about 2 years
- Enroll in your Bachelor's program, and complete your Bachelor's of Science *This step can be about 2 years, but is more likely 3 or so years

This is probably the best advice I can give without any knowledge of your situation to give you the best chance of getting started. It just so happens to be about how I went through things with no experience and little college credit to get started.

If you want to discuss it further, let me know.
Best of luck to you,
Jason

John NORDIN ⋅ Lake Forest, IL Independent Angel Investor ⋅ 37 years experience

Hi Tony-
I'm a recently retired IT executive in the Chicago area.
Would be an honor to work with you in exploring IT opportunities, networking, etc. in the Chicago metro area.
Thank you for your service to our country and looking forward to hearing from you.
John Nordin

Tashira Gibbs ⋅ Mableton, GA IBM ⋅ 7 years experience

Yes! There are plenty of fast track training programs to help you gain the latest in demand skills too. In addition to General Assembly there are development bootcamps (https://www.switchup.org/rankings/best-coding-bootcamps) and online courses (Skillshare, Udemy, Coursera). As Sharon mentioned, it depends on what your current skill level / interest is. Best of luck and thanks for your service.

Sharon Parker ⋅ Roanoke, TX IBM ⋅ 25 years experience

Hi, Tony, thank you for your service to our country. Before I can answer your question, it would be helpful to have more information!
1) What kind of experience do you have in computer science?
2) What type of work would you like to do in that field?
3) When do you plan to make the move?
Please feel free to send your resume - I would be more than happy to review it for ideas!