Now Is the Best Time to Jump In and Start in Quantum Computing; PhD Student Outlines Why

(Medium) Sara Metwalli outlines four reasons that now is the time the best time to jump in and start in quantum computing. Metwalli is a PhD student working in quantum computing.
1. The Current Stage of the Field:
IBM has released the Python library Qiskit (Quantum Information Science Kit). This library allows you to write Python code that can be executed on one of IBM’s machines on the cloud. This means you can implement many popular quantum algorithms, such as Shor and Grover, for real-life application and test them on the simulator provided by Qiskit as well.
In addition to programming language add-ons, there has been a lot of effort devoted to developing quantum circuit simulators that allow you to build actual circuits without the need to write any code.
2) The Supporting Community:
The development of programming language libraries and circuit simulators eased the process of getting into the field. Moreover, these advancements have encouraged the curiosity of many high schoolers and undergrads to try these technologies and grow their knowledge bases. Those students formed many communities on different platforms, such as Discord, Facebook, and Slack, to communicate with each other and share their knowledge.
Qiskit has its own Slack workspace that includes people from the development team, professors, and researchers in the field, to curious people from all ages and backgrounds.
Also, there are many Facebook groups that share the latest research papers in the field and any upcoming webinars from all around the world.
3) The Available Resources:
Many materials have been developed and are being developed to simplify the complex concepts and deliver them in an easy-to-grasp way. Most of these resources are available for free and can be accessed from anywhere. Qiskit has its own YouTube channel that contains videos for how to use the library and videos covering basic concepts of quantum computing for different applications.
You can find many courses offered on edX, Coursera, and FutureLearn that you can audit for free. MIT also provides lecture notes for various topics on quantum computing on its OpenCourseWare.
4) The Near Future Demand:
The near-future demand for quantum programmers and researchers will increase shortly.
In 2019, MIT published an article called “Q&A: The talent shortage in quantum computing”
Many governmental and industrial institutions have set aside substantial funds to develop quantum technologies. This incredible amount of funds leads to an increase in the number of academia, government, and industry positions. Almost all technology companies are changing their business model to adapt to when quantum technology makes an impact.

Final Thoughts:
Quantum computing is currently moving from theory to practice, opening up so many jobs and opportunities for those interested in quantum technology. Metwalli concludes, ” The field is very open and welcoming to new talents and curious people who want to jump in but are worried that they might not have the needed background or just think that they are not smart enough to get into quantum computers.”