The sewn threads of words help humans to talk with each other. Communication has grown more binary today. Words have now become codes — assigning an ear and a mouth to the machine.
Imagine reading about Siri thirty years ago — you would call it sci-fi or brush it off as fantasy.
The evolution of the machine has been a game changer. Today, tools can automate mundane tasks. You can edit documents while watching movies at the same time, on the same device. The world is moving towards productivity and efficiency. Coding is a practical skill to have to interact with the computer, to improve efficiency and to get better jobs.
According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, software development jobs alone are said to grow drastically from 2016 to 2026. at 24 per cent, which is much faster than the average for all other occupations. With coding, you can discover a lot of opportunities.
Now is the perfect time to be a coder. Here are reasons why you should learn to code.
- Better jobs drifting towards automation
Programming has automated many cookie cutter tasks. Today, cutting clothes, driving and even chatbots to talk with can be programmed. There is enough evidence that there are more jobs that can be automated.
Automation is great for outsourcing tasks that are hard for humans to do. Would it be more comfortable for a single person to handle multiple chat windows from customers? Instead of a person, can a chatbot handle similar questions? Hence today, bot based assistants are used heavily.
To automate, we need more programming minds to understand cookie cutter tasks and then make the cutter. Programmers ease automation, and there are many jobs to automate.
- Better pay
The last decade has seen the rise of tech products and startups in the technology space. Companies are splurging on creating mobile solutions, having visible social media presence and making internet friendly products. There is no doubt that programmers are the need of the hour. Even in programming, companies keep adopting newer technology stacks.
Every business cycle a new stack hits the market, and that stack programmer is in demand. With the requirements increasing, technology companies tend to pay much better. The average pay package for an entry-level professional is 4.5 lakhs, 2X of most industries.
- Technology communities are always ready to help
Even though programming and technology related jobs are in demand, the tech community is non-competitive. Communities help newbies. They mentor them to pick up the new skill-sets. Tech Communities are incredibly helpful and include members working in top companies. With networking as an addition to the session, they help you to get a better job.
You don’t have to be an engineer to code. Many companies hire based on skills. They test analytical and problem-solving strengths. Skills are valued more than the college or the degree. Hence, this is the right time to pick new skills.
- Flexible – remote jobs
Coding uses cloud-based source control tools, hence you need not work from a formal office. You, the coder can finish solving a problem and send the code to the team for a review. All the work is done remotely. Hence, you need not travel as much and can work with flexible timings.
Flexibility is crucial for young parents or elderly caregivers. Even as a freelancer or a remote worker, the flexibility is liberating. Coding jobs tend to empower and provide more flexibility.
- Work on a Pet Project
Technology has been solving problems over the years. Many unsolved problems of today, need a technical mindset. Finding the right person to work with, to develop a solution, is a difficult task. Programmers are expensive.
Would it not be better to design and develop these solutions on your own?
As a coder, you can easily pick up pet projects and create compelling creative solutions. The solutions can cater to the broader market without any dependencies.
- It’s a DIY world
The web-based applications are not the only consumers of code. Internet of Things(IoT) devices, drones and chips require programming. Also, hardware devices require programming.
By programming the right hardware, one can make robots and remote control cars at home.
Today, there are many hardware kits with instructions available in the market, for kids and adults, to do these projects. Even a home automation system can be DIY (Do It Yourself).
Without learning to code, programming these can become complex. Hence coding gives access to building new things.
- It’s the Basic literacy in the Digital Age
The primary currency online is human interactions with websites, applications and software. These are designed and developed by programmers. Learning to code, not only makes developing these easy but also allows you to customise.
A WordPress site allows users to program in HTML and CSS. Similarly, Python scripts can be used to scrape a lot of data online to help with research.
Since the tech-based products are at a rise, companies use a lot of technical jargon. Even to request and talk about tech features, coding literary comes to rescue.
- Anyone can learn – Age agnostic, background agnostic
Application programming is elementary. Human language forms the bases of the grammar and syntax of machine languages. Hence the learning curve is smaller.
Similar to picking up a new skill or a hobby, there is no minimum or maximum age to learn to code. Contrary to popular belief, coding is not rocket science. People at all changes can learn to code.
- The leisure of using Online classes
Gone are the days when you had to visit the local — computer skill development centre to get trained. This hands-on, in-class session would be expensive.
The progression of technology with the Internet has made online courses possible. Today, there are many MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) available. These help you to learn a new technology or a skill at your own pace. At the end of the course, you receive a certification. Online courses are flexible and are a lot cheaper.
Many user based forums support newbies by answering programming questions.
This online ecosystem makes learning to code more comfortable.
- Coding develops structure and creative thinking
Steve Jobs said, “Everyone should learn to program a computer because it teaches you how to think.”
The primary tool behind coding is an algorithm. Algorithms break a given problem and solution into smaller steps. This algorithmic thinking has broader adoption.
The tech sky has many diverse languages and technologies are shining. There is more than one way to draw constellations — to a developing solution. Coding expands creative thinking, helps to make choices. It allows you to break any problem down into smaller steps and then enables you to take one action at a time.
Explore your career in Advanced Software Engineering.
