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How to become a developer? This is the profession that Poles ask about most often.

Being a developer is a dream job for Poles. According to Google data, analysed by Remitly, a company specialising in international remittances, in Poland, the most frequently typed phrase is “how to become a developer”. While in other parts of the world, the most desired job includes pilot, dancer or Youtuber, in Poland it is the IT industry that attracts people the most. No wonder since salaries are much higher than the average earnings and wage growth has reached several dozen per cent just in the last two years. Moreover, almost every company in the country dreams of an experienced senior developer. – Working as a developer means security and stability – Explains Dorota Andrzejewska, Head of IT Recruitment & Client Experience at Awareson. So, how to become a developer?

 

Developer is a dream job for Poles.

Why does the profession of a pilot win in other countries? All you have to do is glance at the map. Due to the enormous distances involved, flying is a daily activity for citizens from the United States, Canada or Australia. Therefore no one is surprised when for instance just in the US alone, there are 390 airlines that employ about 40 000 pilots. On the contrary in Poland, there are less than 1 500 pilots, and fewer airlines, and the use of their services… is a topic for another time.

Why does the developer win in Poland? This is where statistical data might be helpful.The earnings in the IT industry are high, especially compared to the national average income, median or minimum wage. The average salary in the national economy in 2022 was PLN 6,935 gross, the lowest legally allowed salary was PLN 3,490 gross (it will rise to PLN 3,600 gross in July due to inflation), and the hourly rate is at least PLN 22,80 gross.

 

Poland offers many opportunities for developers. 20-30 per cent annual increase in earnings is just one of them.

While talking about the IT industry, earnings are a completely different story. The analysis prepared on this blog post shows that rates for a mid-level specialist (mid) start at over PLN 15,000 gross and reach over PLN 26,000. Moreover, seniors can earn from around PLN 19,000 up to PLN 30,000.

It is not a surprise that the profession of IT specialist has become associated with prosperity and a high work culture. What is more, Poland’s salary growth is significantly higher when compared to the rest of the world. The industry is booming, and salaries have risen by 20-30 per cent in the last two years.

 

We explain how to make your dreams come true. So, how to become a developer?

Since so many Poles want to become developers, we suggest how to do it. According to Dorota Andrzejewska, Head of IT Recruitment & Client Experience at Awareson, a developer is the profession of the future, because the IT industry guarantees financial stability: “A developer’s job means security and stability. Today many companies are struggling to find employees with programming experience, which introduces a demand for such professionals. There is also a need for data analysis in companies, which creates additional competence requirements. Moreover, many companies have moved to work remotely on a daily basis, so the whole business world has to cope with logging into complex systems.”

At the same time, many companies are facing a skills gap. It is not easy to recruit candidates with the right experience. Hence the feeling that there will never be a shortage of jobs for a developer. It is also worth mentioning that there is a rising need for specialists who have different skills from each other: “The status of developer in Poland is that of a person who has a high social status. A developer is perceived as a well-off person, so well-off that for a moment it was a programmer who became the government’s example of a person who earns an extremely high salary with little effort.” Dorota Andrzejewska explains. She also mentions that not all the myths that apply to the IT industry are confirmed. While the ones regarding salaries are reflected in the facts, others are stereotypes: “A developer does not code in a basement or does not live from writing a few lines of code. This job requires constant education and learning new tools that change every few months.”

 

How to get into the IT industry?

Awareson advises that before entering the world of IT, choose the area of the industry in which you want to grow. IT is not only about programming, but also about working with data, networks, and software. “It is also, and this is particularly important to remember, working with people. Because a developer works with people and collaborates with a team, soft skills such as readiness to constantly acquire knowledge or independence in problem-solving are just as crucial as hard skills such as studies, courses or certificates.” Dorota Andrzejewska explains.

Which career path to choose? Is it necessary to study, or are courses enough? It depends on how deeply you want to get involved in the IT industry. “Technical knowledge is essential, but a 40-hour course alone is certainly not enough to become a senior developer. The time it takes to become one varies on the language you are programming in, but it cannot be accomplished in one year. To become a real-life developer, you require a degree course and 3 to 5 years of education as well. One that takes the same amount of time as a full-time job” adds the Awareson expert.

 

Become the industry’s ideal candidate.

The holy grail of any company specialising in IT recruitment is an experienced senior, someone with five or six years of experience in the field. It is more difficult for juniors to find a job because of the assumption within companies that the training process will take at least a year for such a developer before becoming fully independent. Additionally, the learning process has to involve an experienced senior who is an additional cost to the company. This is reflected in Awareson’s figures. Advertisements for juniors account for about 15 per cent of applications. There are a lot of applications since, broadly speaking, thousands of people graduate from IT programmes each year. “Therefore, some organisations have their preferences even when it comes to university graduates. They are looking for candidates with a reputable education. At the same time, more and more companies are realising the importance of investing in juniors. Without it, we will not have anyone to produce software” says Dorota Andrzejewska.

 

Becoming a programmer seems easier today.

There is no doubt that the threshold for entering the IT industry today is lower than it was a decade or two ago. The number of universities educating developers, and courses or tutorials available on various online platforms is incomparably greater from the point of view of those who dreamt of being a specialist over ten years ago.

Another essential aspect is the general development of technology. Young people are increasingly interacting with software – instant messaging is standard for them, and artificial intelligence helps them solve equations and write essays. Today, you can ask a chatbot about how to become a developer, with a lot of buzz in the media. “Hello, would you like to find out how to become a developer? You probably already have some level of experience or skills needed to become a developer. To gain the full skill set, you need to complete a programming course or a degree in the field. You can also participate in open source projects and regularly update your portfolio to prove your skills”.

The news that Poles want to become IT specialists on a massive scale has already reached one of the largest social media groups for such experts. They answer the question “how to become a developer?” in response to a post by one student who declared that this is exactly the profession he dreams of. “Generally, a good place to start is one of Udemy’s highly rated courses.” suggest an internet user. “Depends 99 per cent on persistence and regularity” another user advises. Others internet users point to specific roadmaps that indicate what is worth learning. One piece of advice that stood out was that, in addition to programming skills, to focus on improving those solutions that already exist.

 

High salaries tempt, higher salaries motivate

The fact that Poles want to become developers is great news for potential employers. Many businesses are experiencing labour shortages, and the IT industry has a good opportunity of attracting the most talented with high salaries. Moreover, the talented ones are valued, since the survey revealed that for 25.9% of IT and SAP professionals the primary factor for their most recent job change were salaries.

 

 

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