If you’re looking for a promising career in the tech industry, you may want to consider becoming a mobile app developer in Toronto. Since the inception of smartphone apps in 2008, users today spend on average 69% of their media and entertainment time on their phone, so it’s safe to say that’s only going to continue to take precedence in the years to come. In 2017, there were 197 billion mobile app downloads around the world which is projected to skyrocket to 258 downloads by 2022. For those following the industry, these comes to no surprise as the number of smartphone users is constantly growing and expected to pass 2.7 billion by the end of 2019.
If that weren’t enough to convince you to get into the mobile app industry, let’s look at income. According to Glassdoor submissions from people in the industry, on average developers in Canada make $68K a year, with the incomes reaching as high as $93K a year — not too shabby! Of course salaries depend on experience, specialization and the company you work for, but numbers alone suggest that being a mobile app developer can be quite comfortable. With smartphone usage only expected to grow in the upcoming years, the demand for mobile app developers are only going to grow with it.
Now, the biggest question is — how do you become a mobile app developer? Read on to find out!
Get The Right Education
The best place to start is by having the right foundation. While there is no formalized route to becoming a mobile app developer in Toronto, getting the education can certainly help give you a leg up in the industry and amp up your understanding on how development and software processes work.
Typically a degree in computer science and software engineering is a good place to start. They focus on app design, data structuring, programming and design. If you’re not interested in going back to school, there are many online courses you can take on your own time to help you grasp these concepts.
Alternatively, there are many college programs that offer mobile app development programs specifically. Cestar College offers their very own Mobile Application Developer program which gives students a thorough runthrough on how to develop apps on both iOS and Android interfaces. In just 8 months, students will learn the ins and outs of becoming a mobile app developer, and have access to career opportunities through the school to help ensure continued success past graduation.
Contact the team at Cestar College today to book a consultation in order to recieve a full overview of their mobile development program and how it can help kickstart your career!
Choose A Development Platform
Once you’ve got the right foundation, it’s time to choose the right software platform you’re going to specialize in. Some of the most popular ones include iOS and Android, followed by Windows, Symbian and Blackberry RIM. While it’s great to get familiar with all of these, when you’re first starting out, it’s best to get familiar with platforms users are using most; in this case, iOS or Android. Specialize on the interface you’re most interested in and once you’re confident with one, you can start expanding your expertise on others as well.
Build Your Own App
Once you’ve gotten the education and practice, it’s time to build an app of your own. While it doesn’t need to be the next Uber, building your own app is not only great practice of your skills but a great way to help build your portfolio, especially when applying for tech agencies and development roles.
To do this, consider a need you want your app to fulfill. Start by looking at your inner circles – your friends and family – and figure out what common day-to-day issues they’re facing that your potential app could help solve. Once you’ve figured that out, you can start mapping out concepts for an app.
When building it out, it’s important to make sure that user usability it always top-of-mind. You want to make sure your app is easy to use from the start so people will be more inclined to use it. Make sure there’s easy navigation and that it’s designed in a way that makes it easy for anyone to use. Once you have a prototype, it’s important to test out your app with family and friends to not only test out the usability but also test for any glitches and bugs to help you perfect the product before rolling it out officially.
Once you’ve built out an app on a platform that you like, don’t forget to consider converting it to other available platforms. To help ensure its success, you’ll want to make sure your app is available on all major platforms or you risk losing potential customers.
Find An Internship Or Look For A Job
Now, why build an app before you landing your dream internship or job? Potential employers want to see that you’re actually able to build a product from start to finish. Think of it as a portfolio piece — if you have an app that you’ve built already, it’s something that highlights all your skills in one place. From design, concepts, programming and usability, if you’ve built a great app that showcases all your strength, you can show it off to potential employers you’re looking to impress. Shop it around to companies and internships you genuinely have an interest in until you lock one down.
After you get hired one, continue producing great work and the rest will be history — you’ve officially made it!
Main Takeaway: Many Paths Lead To The Same Destination
Remember, there’s no “one size fits all” or “cookie cutter” way to becoming a mobile app developer in Toronto. There are many paths you can take that will land you in the same place. For example, you might find that you don’t need to go to school if you’ve already developed the skills required outside of a formalized program. Or maybe you’re able to land a job or internship thanks to a personal connection, without the need to fully build an app on your own beforehand. If you’re able to showcase your knowledge and skills in a different way, you might be able to score a role that way was well. Find a path that works best for you and who knows, you might be the brains behind one of the biggest apps to come. Good luck!
