Android is a great place to jump in. There's a lot of work for mobile developers and Java is a very marketable skill even outside Android.
The tooling (Android Studio) is also relatively accessible, and you don't need to know 4 different languages to finish a project (only Java, as compared to web programming where you'll need a working knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JS as well).
You can also ship something to real people relatively quickly, and without a gatekeeper. Shipping an app of any kind, even a free Android app, will force issues like QA, version control, and customer support which are skills outside of just coding that developers should have.
Finally, Android development has a vibrant community that's learning together, and the landscape is rapidly changing. Your friends could jump in now, and wouldn't be starting from too far behind.
The tooling (Android Studio) is also relatively accessible, and you don't need to know 4 different languages to finish a project (only Java, as compared to web programming where you'll need a working knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JS as well).
You can also ship something to real people relatively quickly, and without a gatekeeper. Shipping an app of any kind, even a free Android app, will force issues like QA, version control, and customer support which are skills outside of just coding that developers should have.
Finally, Android development has a vibrant community that's learning together, and the landscape is rapidly changing. Your friends could jump in now, and wouldn't be starting from too far behind.