How to become a web designer without a degree

One of the first steps that you can take when planning to become a web designer without a degree is to take advantage of free online coding resources. There are countless online sources (like Khan Academy and freeCodeCamp) that provide free, self-directed resources that allow you to try your hand at coding.

To be clear, these courses are not intensive or comprehensive and will not prepare you fully for working in web design. These courses are designed to give you a better insight into how coding works and provide you with exercises to practice basic skills.

Once you are comfortable with coding basics, you can further your education with a web design boot camp. These boot camps are intensive programs that help you develop practical web development and design skills. They are designed for you to be capable of a junior web developer position upon graduation.

Unlike university computer science programs, boot camps are designed with a strong emphasis on practical skills and hands-on experience that employers are looking for when hiring. Important web design skills that you should know are HTML and CSS.

These programs also offer greater flexibility as you can attend a virtual online coding boot camp on either a full-time or part-time basis. Many boot camps can be completed in three to six months. It is important to note that boot camps are not self-study programs and you must plan to attend regularly.

If you attend a boot camp, you will receive individualized training, education, and interaction as if you were attending an in-person course. You will engage in a focused, accountable study and gain proficiency in a wide range of coding languages, and work on individual and group projects that will eventually serve as the core of your portfolio.

By the end of boot camp, you should have comfort, familiarity, and knowledge of web design. You will also receive a certification that proves you have marketable skills, work well under tight deadlines, and are able to submit high-quality assignments. You will be ready for your first junior developer job.

In addition to boot camps and self-learning, you should consider getting started by building your portfolio. These days, an advanced online portfolio is essential to a strong tech resume, especially when you are looking for a career in web design.

With a portfolio website, you will be able to show employers that you understand the technologies needed for developing a site, and demonstrate your other capabilities via linked projects.

You may also want to consider getting involved in open-source development communities such as Github. These allow you to contribute to significant projects, expand your knowledge, and make excellent connections in the field (especially in widely-used programming and scripting language groups).