Games can be an especially good path to explore for teenagers. There are many disciplines that come together to create something. Even while focusing on one aspect of game development, you can build a desire to pursue another.
For me, it was 3D art that got me hooked. Followed by programming to make my art do something.
I'm not web IT but games started my IT career, though perhaps differently to how people would expect.
Dad got a computer when I was 8. I played games.
At uni, while studying other things, I played games and had no money.
In those days having a LAN party and getting people on the same game, same version, same mods, different OSs, different specc'ed machines etc was an effort!
Eventually ended up Application Packaging to earn a living. And I've moved on from there.
Games were may path into tech too. Though I don't think it's generally applicable. Having tried with nephews and other kids I think it takes a certain combination of desire to create, grit, and community feedback. And/or I'm just a bad teacher.
Problem with games is that you need to have actual artistic inclining to produce something decent.
It looks cool and is a good attraction, but people who could be actually good tech programmers will be offputted by reality of making games - which involves a lot of drawing, making sure it looks good and slowly iterating on boring gameplay till it is not boring.
Any ideas or platforms for game development for a nine years old kid without any real programming background?
My kid is finishing Blocky Games from Google. I think it was a good start, he isn't hooked into programming but at least he had some fun and learned some concepts, like loops. Now I have no idea on where should I guide him to now. I was thinking about Python Turtle, but he will probably get bored. Will take a look at Game Maker, but looks too much for a kid, good for teenagers perhaps.
For me, it was 3D art that got me hooked. Followed by programming to make my art do something.