Everyone on the internet says this- Learn how to be a web developer today! Learn how to be a programmer in two weeks! Double your salary! (I haven't researched anything about getting into IT so I'm using programming as an example.)

I currently work in the entertainment industry dealing with complex software/hardware systems.. somewhere between an engineer and a graphics artist..

Companies are still saying there is a shortage of programmers, quoting statistics of college graduates in the field. They aren't even considering the idea of self taught programmers as a potential future employee and yet sites still say you can easily get into the industry without a college degree because of the shortage of CS COLLEGE GRADUATES.

I am trying to teach myself as well but it really is just not that easy. In the time many of these sites says it takes to change your career I've made a shitty site and I've already halfway built a GUI program that once finished would truly advance the industry I'm in. It's functional but it's still garbage. Will I become a computer programmer as a career? It's very questionable. No connections. No prior experience. Bachelor degree in TV/ Film.

I would be incredibly surprised if someone from the oil industry, aside from people dealing with automated computer systems, could get a job in IT considering they wouldn't even be able to get a entry level job at my company basically renaming and organizing media items which is easy as fuck.

I'm a little frustrated with this as you can see but what the fuck do I know. I'll probably get down-votes for the negativity which I'll accept.

TLDR: College Graduate, hate my job in the entertainment industry(live graphics operator basically), want to be a programmer for that system, not much hope for my future in the field.