You need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field to become a computer programmer. It also helps to get hands-on experience and to earn a relevant professional certification.

Coming from someone about to finish a computer engineering degree (I take almost all of the computer science classes) with two years of real world experience, I would advise her to not do it.

But I don't want to wait that long. I want to get some basic programming skills by the end of 2011. And I want to get a junior programming position in 2012. How do I become employable in 12 months?