Don’t wait for the right opportunity: create it

Anonymous

The world is rapidly evolving, and so is the field of technology. To keep pace, one must engage in continuous learning, moving beyond the traditional confines of academic curriculums. This is especially true during summer vacations, a period often overlooked by students as a valuable learning opportunity.

Sadly, the syllabi in many institutions, including B.Tech programs and age old school syllabus, have not kept up with the pace of technological advancement. This gap can be bridged by students themselves, by investing their time and effort into self-learning, building projects, and taking on freelance work.

This not only amplifies their skillset but also opens avenues for earning money. In this article, we will explore some interesting and profitable summer projects B.Tech students can embark on.

1. Buy Machine Learning Books and Start a Kaggle Account

Books always Pay back.

• Although you can get familiar with machine learning algorithms but you have to learn python. Trust me, it is much needed. Some of the best resources include freecodecamp’s and apna college’s video on youtube for python
• Once you get familiar with it in 3-4 weeks.
• Grasp a few of mathematical concepts like Linear Algebra, Calculus and Optimisation.
  We go more in depth on machine learning as a beginner in this article, Getting Started with Machine Learning As a High School Student.
• Start by purchasing some introductory books on machine learning. You can even buy courses on udemy under Rs.500. Some recommendations include “Python Machine Learning” by Sebastian Raschka and “Hands-On Machine Learning with Scikit-Learn and TensorFlow” by Aurélien Géron. But make sure that you know python first.

• While studying, implement the examples and exercises provided in the books. It helps you deep down remember what you read and get confident.
• Parallelly, create a Kaggle account. Kaggle is a platform by Google that hosts machine learning competitions and provides datasets for practice.
• Start with the ‘Titanic’ competition on Kaggle, which is an excellent dataset for beginners.
• Work on the problems, build your models, and participate in competitions. This will help you apply what you’ve learned and gain practical experience.

Check Out : Machine Learning as a high school student

2. Work on Open Source Projects As a Beginner[Best for portfolio and experience]

• Start by choosing a language or framework that you’re comfortable with. For example, if you’re interested in web development, you might choose projects that use JavaScript or Python.
• Find open-source projects on platforms like GitHub. Use the ‘Explore’ option to discover projects that align with your interests. Some beginner-friendly projects include ‘First Contributions’, ‘freeCodeCamp’, and ‘Habitica’.
• Once you’ve chosen a project, clone the repository, and understand the codebase. You can start with fixing bugs, improving documentation, or adding small features.
• Don’t hesitate to communicate with the project maintainers. They can provide guidance and help you understand the project better.

We do have an article about open source projects being a beginner

3. Start an App[It really has demand]

• Choose a platform: Android or iOS. Android development typically uses Java or Kotlin, and iOS development uses Swift or Objective-C.
• For Android, you can download Android Studio and start with Google’s Android Developer Guides. For iOS, download Xcode and follow Apple’s Developer Documentation.
• Think of a simple app idea for starters. It could be a to-do list app, a weather app, or a simple game. The idea here is to learn by doing.
• Udemy is a great platform to start learning app developement.
• Break down your idea into smaller tasks and tackle them one by one. Start by designing the user interface, then move onto functionality.
• Once you’re comfortable with the basics, you can move onto more complex apps. You could also consider learning cross-platform development with a framework like Flutter or React Native.

4. Freelance Web Development[Income And Experience source]

• Start by honing your skills in key web development languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and possibly a back-end language like Python, PHP, or Node.js.
• Build a small portfolio of websites. This portfolio can include 3-5 projects. These could be simple static websites or dynamic web applications depending on your skill level.
• Register on freelance websites like Upwork, Freelancer, or Fiverr. Set up your profile, showcasing your skills and past projects.
• Start bidding on small projects initially and gradually take on more complex projects as you gain more confidence and experience.

5. Cybersecurity Projects:

You need Cybersecurity even if you build a website or an app or anything on the internet, Why not learn it now?

• Begin with learning the fundamentals of cybersecurity, such as understanding threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks, and learning about network security and cryptography.
• Books like “Metasploit: The Penetration Tester’s Guide” by David Kennedy and “Hacking: The Art of Exploitation” by Jon Erickson can be good starting points.
• You can also take online courses on platforms like Coursera or Udemy.
• Practice your skills on platforms like Hack The Box or OverTheWire which provide legal and safe environments for testing your cybersecurity skills.
• Once comfortable, you can consider offering freelance services for website or network security audits.

6. Start a Blog or YouTube Channel:

• Identify a niche which is not covered by other already established institutions in the tech field where you feel you can provide valuable insights or explain concepts clearly.
• This could be technical tutorials, tech product reviews, or even career advice in tech.
• If writing is your strength, consider starting a blog using platforms like WordPress or Medium.
• I would recommend starting with medium since you won’t have to waste your time making a website.
• You can also take help of ChatGPT to write content for your website. If you are more comfortable with video, start a YouTube channel.
• Consistently create and post high-quality content.
• Remember the key to getting the best at a business, is making your customers satisfied. Start with looking the best of the best.
• One of the best course I found on making youtube videos is MKBHD’s skillshare course
• Monetize your blog or YouTube channel through Google AdSense, sponsored posts, or affiliate marketing.

7. Develop a Course or Tutorial:

• Choose a topic in which you have strong expertise and that is in demand. This could be a programming language, a software tool, or a technology trend or maybe even marketing.
• Plan your course carefully. Break down the topic into smaller sections and lessons. Make sure to include practical examples and exercises.
• You could ask ChatGPT to help you on this one for sure.
• Decide on the format of the course. It could be a series of blog posts, an e-book, a video course, or a mix of these.
• You can host your course on your own website or use platforms like Udemy, Coursera, or Skillshare.
• Understand marketing to promote your course through social media, your blog, or YouTube channel.

8. Participate in Coding Competitions:

• Websites like Codeforces, HackerRank, and Topcoder host regular coding competitions that can help you improve your problem-solving and coding skills.
• Start with simpler problems and gradually move to more complex ones. Participate in contests regularly to get used to the format and time pressure.
• Coding competitions often have cash prizes, and doing well in these can also attract attention from potential employers.
• Kaggle also hosts competitions that have huge cash prizes but you have to be excellent in machine learning to win cash prizes. It is although comparatively easy to win kaggle merch or as called “swag”.

9. Start a Tech Consultancy Service[The HARDEST but could provide you with Market Insights]

• After gaining a broad knowledge base and experience in a specific tech field, you could offer consultancy services.
• This could involve helping clients choose the right technology for their needs, troubleshooting tech problems, or providing advice on tech strategy.
• Promote your services through your professional network, on social media, and by setting up a professional website.
• Building trust of your customers is the best you can do for yourself and your consultancy.

In the end the decision is yours, people can only provide you with guidance.

Remember, all these activities require effort and consistency, but they can significantly enhance your skills, enrich your portfolio, and potentially bring in some income as well. Good luck on your journey!