Voice of the Next Generation: Hear First-hand Why the Smart Kids Are Pursuing Java Certification
June 17, 2019 | 8 minute readSr. Program Manager
Today’s young generation has grown up with access to more information than previous generations could even dream of. The internet has made learning easy and accessible anytime and anywhere. This unprecedented access to information, paired with the desire to learn the things they are passionate about, makes it easy to gain expertise at a young age.
There is perhaps no better illustration of this than in the world of technology, where youngsters are not only developing their skills but also achieving recognized industry qualifications long before finishing their formal education. Indeed, some are introduced to programming languages as soon as they’ve learned to speak in their native language – sparking an early interest that rapidly leads to programming fluency.
In the following in-depth interview we ask Andy Nilson, a 14-year-old Java enthusiast from Mountain View, California, about his activities within the Java community, his experiences of learning – and teaching – Java, and his motivations for becoming Oracle Java Certified before he even starts high school.
When and how did you first become interested in IT, and specifically in Java?
I've been around Java and tech for as long as I can remember, perhaps since around the age of three. My dad is a Java Champion, and he also runs the Silicon Valley Java User Group, so when I was growing up I was always around people who were super enthusiastic about Java.
There were lots of fun parties, and I also went on the JavaOne bike ride where Java supporters from all over the world cycle around San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge.
At the Java User Group meetups I got to meet a lot of developers, and to see first-hand how much they enjoy exploring the latest Java features; plus, I always looked forward to eating the amazing pizza!
How did you first start learning Java?
I also attended coding fairs like Devoxx4Kids and JavaOne4Kids, where I gained more knowledge about Java in gaming and robotics. For example, I learned more advanced Java-based tools like LeJOS for Lego Mindstorms, and how to create Minecraft mods – where essentially you can modify or make additions to the game.
Minecraft certainly seems to be both a popular and fun way for kids to learn Java. Which Java projects have you most enjoyed working on?
In total I’ve probably written at least 20 projects in Java, starting when I was around eight years old. One of the coolest projects I made was a crazy explosive TNT in Minecraft. In Lego Mindstorms I made a cool little car that avoided walls, and I also used Java for creating a clicker game for an Android app. Right now I enjoy using Java mostly for robotics and for home automation.
That sounds pretty exciting! What kind of home automation and robotics projects?
In my room at home I have motion sensors and LED light strips on the floor, which make amazing ground lighting effects. For this I used Raspberry Pi. One of my major hobbies is robotics, and right now I’m a lead programmer for a robotics club – the Barcbots – based in nearby Cupertino.
Next week we’ll actually be heading to the VEX Robotics World Championships in Louisville, Kentucky, after we qualified last month by winning the California State VEX VRC Championships Middle School Division.
Congratulations on your recent success! And best of luck in Louisville! So how much time are you spending at the moment either using Java or learning about it?
Each week I probably spend around twenty hours doing robotics, which also includes C++. Right now I am studying for the Oracle Java Certification exam, which I plan to take at the end of summer. So I spend at least ten hours a week learning about Java or going through exercises, in addition to making small projects each month based on what I learn.
There are many innovative ways to learn about Java. Where are you getting your Java knowledge from, and how are you preparing for the exam?
Currently I use a lot of online materials. Oracle has great documentation online, which anyone can use to learn Java, and they are a really useful tool in my opinion. Also, Safari Online from O’Reilly has a lot of good books and videos. And my dad has helped me a bunch too – I’m really thankful to have him as a resource when there are certain things I don’t understand!
At what stage did you start thinking about getting certified, and what was your motivation for pursuing certification?
I wanted to become a better lead programmer overall for my VEX robotics team, and decided that Oracle Certification would be a great way for me to expand my knowledge in Java and coding in general. For example, I want to learn tricks for simple code, so I don’t need to type out at length; and to learn more advanced Java techniques and algorithms that I could use in my development projects.
Also, I was thinking about the future, and that being Oracle Certified will really increase my chances of getting into a good college, and hopefully help me secure an internship even before high school is over.
My dad has also been encouraging me to go for certification. He became Java certified in 2002, and in fact he recently surprised me by announcing that he will take the exam at the same time as me – a little friendly competition to see who gets the higher score! So over the summer we’ll work on some projects together, I’ll study extra hard, and we’ll see who wins!
What are some of your best memories and proudest accomplishments in your Java journey so far?
I’ve always enjoyed helping others with their Java knowledge. Very early on, I led a hands-on lab at a JavaOne4Kids day, and I was then invited to speak about the experience at a JavaOne keynote. I’ve also presented at the OSCON Kids Day in Portland, Oregon and in Austin, Texas, and co-presented with my dad at various events for both kids and adults.
In 2017, I gave a talk at Oracle Code One, called ‘Creating a Connected Home’, which won a Code One Star Award for being among the best talks at the conference. I’ve also submitted a talk for this year’s Oracle Code One, so I’m hoping to present again and share a bunch of ideas around IoT and home automation. One of the things I really like is presenting and teaching Java to kids, and seeing how happy they are as their knowledge grows.
What other programming languages do you know, and how does Java fit in with your overall IT knowledge?
I also do a lot of programming in C and C++, as well as Objective-C, and also some Python, JavaScript, and HTML. But I like Java’s power, and its type safety, and each time Java evolves, the new features make development much easier and quicker.
Last summer I focused a lot on IT security, which I think is really important. I watched a bunch of videos on one-way and two-way encryption, and was constantly asking my dad lots of questions about how security works, how passwords are stored, and how data is transferred.
I’m also interested in machine learning and AI. Recently, I’ve been following the developments and successes of AlphaGo, and I’m also a fan of OpenAI, an organization which aims to ensure that AI benefits all of humanity.
Do you also have hobbies outside of the tech sphere?
I enjoy playing hockey with my friends, and roller soccer on Wednesday nights, and I also just like playing with my two younger brothers.
Are your brothers also budding Java evangelists?
Well, they both like technology, but one of them is six years old, and the other is four, so I don’t know if they have specifically decided on coding yet!
What are your short-term and long-term aspirations?
Eventually I’d like to be a software engineer. So I plan to study computer science at college, and I’d like to continue teaching Java classes over the summer. But right now I’m just focusing on the robotics world championships next week. And after that, I’ll be concentrating on hopefully passing my Java certification exam in August.
Finally, what advice do you have for other young people who are thinking about taking up Java?
Firstly, find something that you're passionate about. For me it was IoT and robotics that really drove my interest in learning more about Java.
Also, just start with the basics – learn the syntax, and then begin with small projects, gradually building up to bigger and bigger ones. It’s important to do all the exercises, and not to skip through any of the content.
And then just keep persevering; keep practicing so that it's always fresh on your mind and you are always learning.
UPDATE: Andy’s passion and perseverance pay off in the face of adversity
Andy’s bid for success at the VEX Robotics World Championships in Kentucky made headlines at MSN News – but not for the reasons he’d hoped!
Disaster struck for his Barcbots teammates on their journey to the competition, when the team’s robot was lost in transit after their plane was rerouted through several cities. Andy also experienced flight issues, and was still in California when his team rang through with the bad news.
With just hours remaining before the competition start, the team rallied around and resolved to fully rebuild a robot from scratch – by using spare parts from their garage and picking up a new drive train. The rebuild would not compare with their original, which had taken months of building and programming, but Andy and the whole team were determined to do their best against all the odds.
Luckily, the airline found the missing robot just in the nick of time, and, over the next few days, the Barcbots went on to finish 24th from a field of nearly 200 teams from all over the world.
Congratulations to Andy and the Barcbots team!
Are you passionate about Java? When and how did you start to learn? What advice do you have for Java beginners? Share your Java story with us in the comments below!
Brandye Barrington
Sr. Program Manager
Brandye is a Senior Program Manager with Oracle Certification. An experienced leader in the field of IT Certification, Brandye has been in the certification industry for nearly 20 years, helping to build, grow and adapt Oracle's world class certification program.
Brandye's expertise spans the operational intricacies of building and managing a global certification program; providing engaging dialog and building enduring relationships with customers and industry leaders; maintaining content and communications on an ever-evolving website, support structure and social media network; and keeping the Oracle Certification audience informed on new policies and procedures as well as new certifications, exams and products that enhance their careers and provide maximum ROI on their certification investment.
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