Most people will need to put in two to five years of study and practice to develop marketable skills as a programmer. Those years are a lot easier to give from

Most people will need to put in two to five years of study and practice to develop marketable skills as a programmer. Those years are a lot easier to give from 14 to 19 than at 38 to 43. If you have family, kids, responsibilities the time and focus get harder to come by, no matter what career you try to switch to. That said there’s no reason a person can’t learn programming at 8, 38, or 58. A few people manage to get through law school, medical school, or learn how to write code later in life while holding down a job and raising a family. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s easier when you have the time and freedom of youth.