What to spend my learning allowance on as a Back end Engineer?

Question

Hi, I've received around ~$3k from my employer to spend on personal development and learning. I was wondering what books/courses/certifications would be good to push my self and learn something new.I am currently a junior backend engineer and this is my first year working in the industry so I would appreciate any pointers/tips.

nchadwick · Accepted Answer

One thing to consider would be attending a popular conference for your 'primary' day-to-day programming language.
Conferences like PyCon, jsconf, Gophercon etc. can be a really great way to introduce yourself to the breadth of problems people are tackling, and can also be great opportunities to meet and network with other folks who can help you out on your journey.
Another good resource is safari books online, which has a subscription you can purchase to get access to a 'smorgasbord' of great books.

coderintherye · Answer

Spend it on learning what you want to learn, rather than on what other people tell you to learn.If you don't know what you want to learn, spend it on a coach or mentor.