Im 25 years old and have been a car repairman for 6 years, i decided to start taking school for programming. I have just started my algebra class but would like to know if anybody has any advice on things I can be learning on the side? thanks for your time.
As for languages... Start with something simple (depending on what type of programming you mean: applications or web). for Web programming (creating web pages) start with basic HTML.
For the applications / programs side of things, maybe get a book about the BASIC programming language (i know, it sounds out dated, but it will provide some basic backgrounds as to how the language works. The Visual Basic.net system builds off the basic BASIC language, with some modification). I think that once you learn Basic, you can figure out other languages fairly easily... it's just a matter of syntax. I know I first started learning programming with QBASIC (which came with DOS 5.0 and 6.0) back in the mid-90's before and around the time Windows 95 came out (yes... back when Windows 3.1 was still popular).
You really have to decide *what* you want to program (as for type of programming) and then go from there. Just wanting to "be a programmer" is too broad. Do you like the Internet and want to know how to create web pages / sites? or maybe Do you like playing games, and wanted to know how to create them? These are some questions you have to ask yourself.
Sort of like repairing cars / installing car radios. You have to know what you want to do first before you start working on it (or digging int). Decide what you want to learn, and then go from there. Google can be your best friend for this (at least it was for me). There is an ocean of information out there -- you just have to narrow down. This is how I learned the bulk of my programming skills. I've only had a handful of actual "sit-in" official programming classes in college. The rest I taught myself from books (which by the way, the "Sams Teachyourself in 24 hours" or "in 21 days" series has always helped me, but they may not be your learning style). they don't teach you a lot of "why" but more "here's how it's done." It's a good start, and then yo ucan go back and learn the dirty details later, once you've learned the syntax of the language. Start out small, and then work your way up.
Maybe look into pursuing a certificate at a local community college.