An entrepreneur whose company trained programmers at Facebook and Google shares his best advice for learning to code

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• The most important first step in learning how to code is to think about your area of interest and career goals, says Michael Ellison, founder and CEO of CodePath.org.
• Mobile app development is also an ideal introduction for newcomers since it's a popular platform that most people are familiar with.
• But in order to succeed, you'll need to set a goal beyond just wanting to land a high-salary and job security, Ellison says.
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With software developers ranking among the highest-paid and fastest-growing jobs in the United States, you might be motivated to consider switching your career path or learning how to code. In an analysis performed by CareerBuilder published on MarketWatch, software development jobs consistently places among the most lucrative career options in multiple states across the country.

But getting into the industry can feel intimidating if you don't have a background in computer science or a related field. Whether you have a technical background or not, Michael Ellison, founder and CEO of computer science education non-profit CodePath.org, says setting a goal is a critical first step. "If you're building a career based on what you're interested in, it's going to be a lot more sustainable," he recently told Business Insider.

CodePath.org was born out of CodePath.com, a technical training company that has operated training and onboarding programs for Silicon Valley giants like Facebook, Google, Dropbox, Airbnb, and Netflix. The company has created more than 30 courses that have taught over 2,000 programmers, according to its website.

Here's Ellison's best advice for learning how to code.