A couple of afternoons if you already are proficient in Matlab or Java :)
But yes, programming is easy, @greenrun, a lot of fun and has the ability to keep Mr.Alzheimer away :D
A lot of video tutorials out there, some you may even listen to in your car.
We actually have a success case with a young girl banker who wanted to be a programmer at 25. She enlisted in our paid-academy (we did the paying) projects. It took her 3-6 months to reach a comfortable level in .NET
She got an offer to work full time here afterwards.
So follow what you like and working people will usually be rewarded in life.
Cheers!
@greenrun now we are two pushing you to start with! Please have a look to this post where one steemian got used to it in one week-end ^^