Should you pay money to learn programming?

A lot of people reach out to me asking about programming schools or institutes where they can go to learn how to code.

My answer is usually no — at least, not for the reason you think.

You don’t need a programming school or institute to learn how to write code. Imagine a scenario where Emeka buys a laptop, goes on YouTube, Udemy, and similar platforms, buys courses, and teaches himself programming. Emeka will definitely learn how to write code — and that’s what I often recommend.

Now, Emeka has learned HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Java, Python, etc.

The real question is: how does Emeka get hired?

What does Emeka’s CV look like?

Does he know what it feels like to work collaboratively with other developers?

Does he know anyone in the industry who can recommend him for an internship or junior role?

This is where a programming school or institute truly comes in.

Not primarily to teach you how to code, but to give you access — access to other developers, mentors, industry exposure, and, in many cases, internship or job placement opportunities.

I was once an Emeka.

While working as a librarian in a private library in Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria, I taught myself how to write code and built a website for the library within two weeks. But I was limited. I didn’t know people in the industry, and despite applying for jobs for over a year, I got little to no feedback.

Everything changed when I later enrolled at Decagon. I received intense additional training, but more importantly, I got exposure, structure, and the opportunity to network with over 100 other developers. That was the real game changer.

So no — I’m not saying you must learn on your own first and then attend a programming institute. There’s no single template. Not everyone will need this route.

What I am saying is this:

Your motivation for paying a programming institute should not be to “learn how to code.”

It should be to gain a platform for collaboration, visibility, and commercial exploitation of your skills.

To learn programming, you can teach yourself how to write code.

To grow a career, you often need people, structure, and access.