Computers & IT (Information Technology)

Software Development Courses: Learn to Become a Software Developer

Considering a Software Development Course? 

If you want to learn about software development and develop software in the future, a software development course may be the perfect choice for you. The course will teach you all you need to know about software development. It can be an exciting career path, particularly in the current digital age we are living in. The good news is there are so many software development courses currently available. They are available in a variety of levels and in full-time, part-time and evening class options.  

What is Software Development? 

Software development, in simple terms, is the process programmers use to build computer programs. The process, also known as the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), includes several phases that provide a method for building products that meet technical specifications and user requirements. The SDLC provides an international standard that software companies can use to to build and improve their computer programs.  

It offers a defined structure for development teams to follow in the creation, design and maintenance of high-quality software. The aim of the IT software development process if to build effective products within a defined budget and timeline. There are six major steps in the software development life cycle, including needs identification, requirement analysis, design, development and implementation, testing and deployment and maintenance 

Software belongs to three main groups based on their use and their application. The most popular categories of software include system software, application software and programming languages. There are lots of jobs in the IT industry that use software development. Some of the most popular careers utilising software development include computer programmers, quality assurance engineers, database administrators, senior systems analysts and software engineers.  

What Will I Learn? 

You can expect to learn about project management, object oriented programming and software architecture. In addition, you will explore GUI (Windows) programming, communications and relational database. You will also learn about mathematics, networking infrastructure and web authoring. Not to mention, the course may also require you to undergo work experience or work placement.  

Career Opportunities 

The IT sector is booming right now, however, there is a major shortage of computer science graduates, presenting plenty of solid employment options for you. After completing your software development course, you will qualify for jobs as a software developer, a software engineer, a computer programmer, a quality assurance engineer, a database administrator and a senior systems analyst. You may also find jobs in other roles related to software and IT.  

Career Progression 

If you found you really enjoyed your software development course and would like to learn even more, there is always room to progress. Depending on the level of your course, you could do a level 7, level 8 or level 9 course in software development. Alternatively, you could study topics related to software development to expand your skillset, for example, doing a general computer science course or a software engineering course.  

If you’re serious about doing a software development course, check out courses near you in the Nightcourses.co.uk national course finder.