13 Courses and Resources to Establish a Career in Software Engineering

Software engineering is the core of the entire computer technology field. One can say that hardware is only a chunk of plastic and metal chips without software.

Software engineers are like the unsung heroes of the digital world. The tools that we use are invaluable because of the software built by software developers.

With technological enhancements, there is a considerable rise visible in software engineers’ requirements. According to Forbes, it is projected that software engineering employment will increase by 22% by the end of 2029. This clearly portrays the popularity of this field.

Now, you might wonder why this massive demand for software engineers is. Well, there are plenty of factors. Before we move towards them, let us get a brief idea about software engineering and the roles of a software engineer.

What is Software Engineering?

Software Engineering analyzes the user requirements and builds a software application to satisfy all those requirements. This software is deployed in the market after testing it thoroughly.

Software engineering will help you design reliable and economical software that can work efficiently on real machines.

Now, the software can be of any type and for any platform. For instance, there are different software developers for commuter software, mobile apps, web apps, and even cloud platforms. So, if you are thinking about moving ahead in this field, you need to think about all these options and choose the most interesting one for you.

Now, let us understand the factors behind the immense popularity and demand of software developers in the market. This will also help you understand why you should think about this field.

Reasons Behind the Demand of Software Developers

Some of the key reasons driving the demand of software developers in the market are:

Accelerating Technological Progress

As and when a new technology is introduced, there is a huge competition visible in the market. Every individual or company tries to build a better version. For instance, there is plenty of competition among e-commerce platforms, messaging programs, and more. With this increase in technologies, the requirement for software development companies is also rising.

Limited Life Span of Codes

Software development is an ongoing and continuous process with no end. Upgrades are necessary at every place. Every time a new software enters the market, there is competition. To surpass this competition, companies need to keep on updating their software. So, every line of code has a limited lifespan, and it needs to change with time.

Customized Software Requirements

Any large enterprise will want to provide customized solutions to their customers. For instance, any banking firm would think about having full-fledged software to handle all their customers within the firm itself. This is where the demand for software engineers is consistently rising. Every company or business is looking for customized apps and software for their customers.

Increasing Complexity Requires Creative Solutions

The developers need to put in new strategies and logic with every new software project. As the complexity of projects increases, companies are looking for skilled software developers who can cope with the complexity and provide appropriate solutions.

These are some of the key reasons behind the increasing demand for software engineers.

So, if you are thinking about moving forward in software engineering, there is definitely a huge scope for success.

If you are into software engineering, it is not only limited to developing software. There is a lot more to this field. In fact, there are various career options to consider after entering this field.

Let us look through some career options to get a clear idea.

Career Options one can opt for in Software Engineering

Currently, software engineering is not only limited to developing software. There’s a lot more to this field. You can expect plenty of opportunities in the market after getting a software engineering degree.

Some of the highly in-demand career options for software engineers are:

• Data Scientist
• Cybersecurity Engineer
• Machine Learning Engineer
• Full Stack Developer
• Python Developer
• Java Developer
• Cloud Engineer
• Scrum Master

After becoming a software engineer, these are some of the most in-demand career options you can opt for. So, it is pretty much clear that there is huge scope and options for you to move ahead.

On top of that, you can expect a good salary too. On average, a software engineer’s salary is $99,000/year. If you are skilled enough, you can even expect your salaries to go up to $150,000-$200,000 per year.

Now, you might be thinking about enrolling yourself in a software engineering degree. But it is worth it to learn the same skills through software engineering courses. If you wish to learn software engineering, plenty of resources are available online.

Here’s a list of software engineering courses that can help you step up your career.

Computer Science 101: Master the Theory Behind Programming [Udemy]

To get a better idea about the fundamentals of Computer Science Theory, you should consider taking up the Computer Science 101 course on Udemy. As it is a course for beginners, no prior knowledge or experience is required.

Before you can learn about the practical implementation of technology, it is necessary to understand the theory backing it. So, this course will help you get clear with the basics of theory to become a good programmer or software engineer down the line.

What you’ll learn?

• Fundamental theories of algorithm analysis
• Comparison of various algorithms
• Understanding when to use different algorithms and data structures as per the requirements

Software Development Fundamentals [edX]

Java is the most widely used programming language in the software industry. If you are thinking about entering the software engineering world, then it is recommended to be clear with the fundamentals of the Java language.

This Software Development Fundamentals course on edX will help you get clear with the basics of Java programming. Along with that, you will also learn about testing and debugging software. So, you can expect yourself to develop software and tools in Java after completing this course.

What you’ll learn?

• Writing programs in Java with different libraries and syntaxes
• Developing comprehensive test cases
• Complete Java software development

The School Of Programming & Development [Udacity]

Whether you are just starting in the programming world or wish to upskill yourself, you’ll be able to find plenty of value in the collection of courses by The School of Programming & Development on Udacity. You’ll only have to take out some time from your week to upskill yourself and get your dream job as a software engineer.

There are plenty of programs available here for different positions, including Front End Web Developer, Full Stack Web Developer, Java Developer, Cloud Developer, Cloud DevOps Engineer, Data Engineer, iOS Developer, Blockchain Developer, Agile Software Development, and much more.

You will find all the necessary programs over here to kickstart your career in the field of software engineering.

What you’ll get?

• Learning everythng from scratch based on the program you select
• Support from technical mentors to upskill quickly
• Opportunity to work on real-world projects with industry-level experts

So, you can think of this as a perfect way to begin your career in software development.

Computer Science Essentials for Software Development [edX]

In this extensive course, you will learn about designing, developing, and testing large software applications with the help of the Java programming language. You will get a professional certification from the University of Pennsylvania.

You will also learn about developing dynamic and interactive web applications with the help of various Java frameworks and tools.

What you’ll learn?

• Designing and developing software with Java programming language
• Analyzing and applying the right data representations in code
• Applying OOPs concepts for better efficiency
• Creating dynamic and interactive web applications

This professional certification is a combination of 4 different courses to help you expand your knowledge.

Fundamentals of Computer Science [edX]

This is a 5-course series by XSeries where you will understand the Fundamentals of Computer Science. You will get familiar with programming skills, software designing, algorithm principles, and data structures that are driving every electronic gadget in the market.

What you’ll learn?

• Fundamentals of programming and software designing
• Using OOPs concepts for designing systems
• Using data structures for manipulating data

You will not only learn about programming, but you will also get the fundamental knowledge of understanding the requirements and building the right software for the market. From building a small software to a large-scale system, you will learn it all in this course series.

Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization [Coursera]

Java is the most in-demand programming language for software development and building Android operating systems. This Specialization course in Java begins with the fundamentals, so you don’t have to worry about prior knowledge or experience of the domain. This is a 5-course program to impart necessary knowledge from scratch to advanced levels.

What you’ll learn?

• Basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Solving problems by building software in Java programming language
• Principles of Software Design

You will get to learn about the core concepts of programming for writing simple programs and solving complex problems. On top of that, you will also receive all the foundational skills for building a career in the software engineering field.

Software Development Lifecycle Specialization [Coursera]

Whether you are new to the software engineering field or have already developed a few software, you will find this specialization course to be a useful one. You will get a deeper understanding of software development practices through this 4-courses program.

What you’ll learn?

• Building high-quality and secure software by using SDLC methodologies
• Working with Agile, Lean, and Waterfall models for designing SDLC
• Software Designing, Testing, and Quality Assurance

You will also have to work on multiple fictional case studies to apply your theoretical knowledge. In this course, you will be asked to provide your response to applying different methodologies and practices and state the reason behind them. This will give you a better idea about corporate working.

Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager [Educative]

No matter where you are in your career, you will find this course pretty beneficial. This course is an entirely different one because it is not like every other video course. It is a text-based course to make your learning faster.

This course will help you become an Effective Software Engineering Manager. You will enhance your skills in the same domain with built-in assessments. So, this course will help you step up the ladder in your career.

What you’ll learn?

• Managing yourself before managing others
• Picking the right person while hiring
• Building your network and managing team’s workflow
• Helping employees build work-life balance

Competitive Programming Essentials, Master Algorithms 2022 [Udemy]

The Competitive Programming Essentials is a highly exhaustive course that will help you get ready for competitive coding. This course will begin with the basics of data structures, and it goes into the depths of algorithmic programming with advanced algorithms.

The best thing about this course is that it is not only about learning. You will also get to apply your knowledge to the questions that you receive with every lesson. It is not an entry-level course, so you will have to have some basic knowledge before taking this course.

What you’ll learn?

• Understanding and implementing different concepts in competitive programming
• Methods to ace coding competitions
• In-depth knowledge of topics like Data Structures, Complex Algorithmic Programming, and more

As a prerequisite, you need to be comfortable with any one programming language. On top of that, you should have the ability to understand programming and coding using data structures. If you also possess basic problem-solving experience, that will be a plus point.

SOLID Principles: Introducing Software Architecture & Design [Udemy]

Coding is for everyone. But if you wish to become a professional software engineer, you also need to learn how to design your final code. This SOLID Principles course will help all the budding coders and the established ones to write better quality code and design it.

If you are thinking about moving one step ahead in your software engineering career, you should consider taking this course. It will help you write code that is highly presentable and also portrays you as a professional.

You only need to be clear with the basics of object-oriented programming and some basic concepts like inheritance for an easy walkthrough of the course.

What you’ll learn?

• Learn to write quality code that stands out
• Applying SOLID Principles for designing your code as a software engineer
• Completely revamping the existing code with SOLID design principles

These were some useful courses that you can opt for to improve your knowledge in the field of software engineering. Whether you are starting out or already have a career, you will definitely find these courses to be pretty beneficial.

Other Resources to Establish a Career in Software Engineering

Fundamentals of Software Architecture: An Engineering Approach

If you are more into reading rather than listening to YouTube or course videos, this is the best resource for getting more knowledge about Software Engineering. Fundamentals of Software Architecture cover everything, from structuring and designing the code to working on your soft skills as a software engineer.

This book is focused more on the modern approach of software engineers by covering modern tools and engineering practices. You will get to learn from the experience of experts in this domain. So, it is a worthy read for getting more of the domain knowledge.

Software Engineering Crash Course

If you are aware of the basics, want to brush up your knowledge, or wish to learn only the necessary skills in less time, then this Software Engineering Crash Course on YouTube is the perfect thing for you. Even if you are preparing for some exams in this domain, you will also find this to be a great choice to brush up on your knowledge.

Introduction to Programming and Computer Science

In this 2-hour full course, you will learn about the basics of computer science and computer programming. All the concepts you learn here can be applied to any programming language. So, no matter which programming language you wish to work with, you will find this course useful.

If you wish to start with computer programming to become a software engineer down the line but have no idea about where to begin, then this is the perfect course, to begin with.

Conclusion

Software Engineering is a booming field, and the demand for software engineers is consistently increasing. Whether you are thinking about starting something in the tech field or wish to shift your career, you will find these resources pretty useful for beginning with Software Engineering. The right course and resources will set up the perfect path of learning.

You may also look at some of the best Java Courses.