1) For web development , get into http://www.wordpress.org and its a pretty easy software to start making websites on.
You can maybe spend say 10 $ a month so that you can buy some server space on http://www.bluehost.com and tinker with his own website /blog in the meantime.
For learning language CSS ,PhP and HTML are the way to go.
2) If you knows some languages already, try to make a Facebook application , and then play with Google’s open social API,or game, as that will get his interest besides giving him a skill thats useful. Ipod developer’s kit is another hot area to experiment.
3)For designing software solutions I would recommend the Microsoft Certification program. Try to learn 1 language like Visual Basic or into .Net programming.These platforms will still be useful in coming years.
4) For statistical/business software try to learn a language called R, which is good for data mining (www.r-project.org) . its quite easy to learn and has a good graphical user interface too.
5)For software careers it is best to learn multiple types of softwares to hedge your bets.
For sustaining interest, you can join and network with fellow programmers using bulletin boards especially boards on http://www.google.com for google code and microsoft developers area..
6) You can also download Ubuntu linux (www.ubuntu.com) , which is a free Linux based Operation System (like Windows) and be more familiar in it. Also add openoffice from http://www.openoffice.org This gives you perspectives on open source software.
7)I recommend him getting summer internship in a software startup (especially any software company in Silicon valley or Bangalore) ,and with established companies (like http://www.google.com , http://www.facebook.com,www.infosys.com
Software developers are the un-sung heroes of today’s modern world!!!
All the best !
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