What Does a Teenage Mobile App Developer Do? 

You know those games/applications that you or your parents download on their mobile phone?  Those were all made by mobile app developers.  In this job, you’ll be in charge of creating mobile apps that can be used on iOS and Android mobile devices.  There is a lot of coding involved, but with the right training you can be making apps in no time.

How Much Does a Teenage Mobile App Developer Get Paid? 

Mobile app development is a competitive field and what you make will depend on how good you are at what you do.  There are two ways that you can go about getting paid as an app developer.  First, you can create your own app and launch it on the Apple and Android app stores.  The earnings here will depend solely on how popular the app is.  Second, you can develop apps for other people.  In this scenario, you’ll work for an hourly wage and will be paid well.  The problem though is that people will pay based on experience so you may be at a disadvantage when starting out.  Most mobile app developer will start at around $15/hour on the low end.

How Can I Get Started as a Teenage Mobile App Developer?

1. Make sure that you speak to your parent(s) before trying to become a teen mobile app developer.  They absolutely must know about your plans and will likely be able to help you in your efforts.
2. To begin, you’ll want to decide if you want to design apps for yourself or if you’d like to work for others. If you want to design apps yourself, it’s a good idea to go into the app store and see what apps are doing well currently and try to understand why they are successful. 
3. Next, it’s a good idea to brainstorm an app idea that you’d like to create. At this point you may not have the skills necessary, but you’ll gain them in the coming weeks/months.
4. Once you have a mobile app idea, you’ll need to get the proper training necessary to become a teen mobile app developer. For this, we recommend that you join Lynda.com.  They offer a free 10-day trial and you should get your parent’s permission before you start.
5. Once you’ve joined Lynda.com, we recommend you to search “iOS App Development Essential Training by Simon Allardice”. This course will show you the basics of making an iOS app from scratch.  “iOS” is the platform that all Apple iPhone/iPad/iWatch apps are built on.
6. Once you’ve trained yourself, you need to start working. It’s unlikely that your first app is going to be perfect, but the best way for you to learn is to try to make an app yourself. 
7. After you’ve completed the app, you’re officially a mobile app developer and you should be very proud. Most people have no idea how to create a mobile app and it’s quite an accomplishment. 
8. Now that the app is done, try to get it uploaded in the Apple Store. This really isn’t all that difficult to do, but you may struggle the first time.  If that’s the case, here is a tutorial video to help.
9. Congrats! You have an app in the Apple Store and you are a bonified app developer.  You can choose to move forward by creating more apps from your own ideas, or you can start working for other people on Upwork where you can find simple app development jobs to gain more experience.

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Helpful Resources

• Lynda.com: This platform will teach you the skills you need to become a mobile app developer.Course: ​Search for the course “iOS App Development Essential Training by Simon Allardice”
• Upwork.com: This will help you find new work when you’re trained as a mobile app developer.