Coding is a fast-growing profession within the UK economy, with ONS stats showing that the number of computer programmers is up by 51% between 2010 and 2020. However, this lucrative and future-focused industry is currently being hamstrung by a country-wide skills shortage, which experts like the Learning & Work Institute say is leading the country to disaster!
To head off the shortage and put the UK on a sound footing to deal with the challenges of the 21st century, we need to invest in programming. But there are plenty more reasons why the activity is a good choice for people wanting to learn new skills. Read on to learn why coding is something everyone should learn.
First things first, what is coding? Well, it’s any activity that involves issuing instructions to computers on what functions they must perform or tasks they need to undertake. If you have used a computer, smartphone, or practically any digital device for that matter, chances are you interact with computer code. It’s the crucial language underpinning practically everything we use in our day-to-day lives!
Now, we know what you’re thinking: coding is difficult, confusing, and only for people into maths and science. Well, while it can be a little strange at first, coding can be easy if you have the motivation. There are also countless beginner-friendly ways to learn.
Take the Raspberry Pi computer, designed around the needs of coding newbies. This piece of tech is for use in classrooms by kids, teaching them the common coding language, Python. If kids can learn, you can too, especially with resources like Codecademy which take you through simple coding tasks, step by step.
Yes, learning coding can give you a firm basis to explore rewarding and potentially lucrative careers in traditional coding areas. For example, some coding jobs include software development and web development, but there are lots of other options too.
The technical skills you learn are great for jobs like data analytics, systems administration, and database management. But more importantly, coding is, at its heart, about solving problems, thinking analytically, teamwork and communication. That makes it a good choice for practically all good careers.
As noted, coding isn’t just about writing code. It’s about understanding the needs of users – empathy. It involves working as a team to solve problems in tandem – communication. You’ll need to come up with novel solutions to issues – creativity. And ensure that the finished product works – attention to detail.
Learning to code is a hot topic. Hopefully, our guide has shown you it’s not just for lovers of maths. Are you learning to code? Let us know your experiences in the comments section below.
