Learn how Python turns programming logic into practical scripts. This introductory course covers the building blocks of coding, including variables, expressions, decisions, repetition, collections, functions and basic object use. You’ll practice writing, running and checking simple code so you can approach technical tasks more confidently, understand how programs behave and support development, testing, automation or data-related work with clearer problem-solving skills.
Introduction to Programming - Python
Essential programming skills for early-stage Python learners
Over three days, this beginner-level course helps you move from basic coding concepts to structured Python practice. It is suited to people starting out in programming, as well as technical professionals who want a clearer grasp of scripting fundamentals. By working with expressions, flow control, collections, reusable functions and introductory object ideas, you can build capability that supports progression into software development, test automation, data analysis or further Python learning.
Learning objectives
- Declare variables and values
- Use expressions and operators
- Build decision-based logic
- Control repetition with loops
- Manage lists and strings
- Define reusable functions
- Recognise object-based structures
- Trace and fix simple errors
Key facts
Certification
This is a skills and knowledge-based course without formal certification.
Who it’s for
This course is suitable for beginners, including individuals with no programming experience, as well as professionals looking to develop Python skills.
Prerequisites
You should be able to navigate a filesystem, edit files and browse the web. No prior programming experience is required.
Exam information
There is no exam requirement for this course.
Optional extras
No optional extras are available for this course.
Pre-course
No formal pre-course work is required beyond basic computer skills.
Course syllabus
Dive into the detail of the course by looking at the syllabus below.
Day one
- Session 1: Introduction
- Thinking like a computer
- Input/output
- Storage
- Arithmetic
- Comparison
- Decisions
- Repetition
- Reuse
- What is a program?
- Statements
- Comments
- What is code?
- From source code to runtime
- Why so many languages?
- What does a programmer do?
- Hello World
- stdin and stdout
- The console
- Thinking like a computer
Day one
- Session 2: Variables
- Variables: what and why
- Name and value
- Literals
- Data types
- Declaration
- Initialisation
- Assignment
- Constants
Day one
- Session 3: Expressions
- Expressions: what and why
- Operators and operands
- Unary and binary operators
- Arithmetic operators
- Assignment operators
- Precedence
- Associativity
- Complex expressions
Day two
- Session 4: Conditional statements
- Conditional statement: what and why
- Comparison/relational operators
- Logical operators
- if else
- The ternary operator
- Code blocks
- Variable scope
Day two
- Session 5: Collections
- Collections: what and why
- Strings
- Lists
- Declaration
- Initialisation
- Getting and setting elements
Day two
- Session 6: Iterative statements
- Iterative statements: what and why
- while
- for
- break
- continue
- List traversal
Day two
- Session 7: Functions
- Functions: what and why
- Declaration
- Parameters
- Return type
- Invocation/call
- Arguments
- Return value
- Variable scope review
- Modules
- Libraries
- Procedural programming
- Functions: what and why
Day three
- Session 8: Objects
- Object: what and why
- Object literals
- Object properties
- The trouble with object literals
- Classes
- Fields
- Methods
- Instances
- Reference variables
- Primitive variables
- Passing by value/reference
- Object oriented programming
- The three principles
Day three
- Session 9: Compilation and execution
- From source code to runtime review
- Compilation
- Debugging
- Linking
- Execution
- Interpretation
- Platform dependence
- Compilation and interpretation: bytecode
Day three
- Session 10: Best practices
- Program design
- Stating the problem
- Devising the solution
- Pseudocode
- Coding conventions
- White space
- Indenting
- Naming
- Coding style
- Readability
- Flexibility
- Scalability
- Unit testing
- Test driven development, or TDD
- Program design
FAQs
This beginner-level Python course introduces the coding concepts behind clear, structured scripts. You’ll work through variables, logic, repetition, functions, collections and introductory object ideas, while building practical habits that help you read, write and troubleshoot simple code in technical work.
Is this course right for someone new to coding?
Yes. The course is designed for people who are starting with programming and want a guided, practical route into Python. You’ll begin with core concepts such as values, expressions and logic before moving into loops, functions and collections. This helps you build confidence gradually, rather than having to interpret unfamiliar code without context.
How will this course help me at work?
You’ll learn how to approach small programming tasks in a more structured way. That could mean reading code with more confidence, understanding how scripts make decisions, reducing repeated manual steps, or supporting technical conversations with developers, testers, analysts or data teams. The focus is on building usable foundations, not just learning Python terms.
What Python topics are covered?
The course covers the main building blocks used in introductory Python programming, including variables, expressions, conditional logic, loops, lists, dictionaries, functions and basic object concepts. You’ll also look at how code is run, checked and improved, so you can understand not only what to write, but how that code behaves.
Do I need experience with programming tools?
No programming experience is required. You should be comfortable with basic computer tasks, such as working with files, editing text and using a browser. The course starts from first principles and introduces programming ideas step by step, so you can connect each new concept to practical coding exercises.
What could I progress to after this course?
This course can support progression into further Python learning, including more advanced programming, data analysis or automation-focused training. It also gives you a foundation that can help when learning other programming languages, because many of the core ideas, such as logic, functions and data handling, transfer beyond Python.
What our customers say
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