If you’re considering a job in the IT sector or are already working within it but are looking for growth opportunities, learning to code is an excellent idea.
As digital transformation accelerates and mobile device use continues to skyrocket, the demand for coders keeps increasing. In the US, coding is one of the fastest-growing career paths.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be more than 189,000 new jobs in the software development sector between 2020 and 2030 and LinkedIn lists tech coding careers as one of its top 15 most in-demand jobs in 2021.
It’s easy to see that the demand for coders is high and this is a field where there are plenty of opportunities. But there are other reasons why you should start learning to code too:
1. Future-Proofs Your Career
Previously, you only needed development skills if you were a developer. However, as the world has gone increasingly digital, a growing number of companies are seeking out employees with basic programming skills.
In some cases, coding is now a requirement, even though the job doesn’t include coding as its primary function. SEO jobs may require R or Python experience, and content creation jobs often ask for basic HTML or CSS knowledge. If you start to learn a coding language now that ties in with your current occupation, you can future-proof your career with skills that employers will soon be on the lookout for.
2. Improves Your Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills
Coding is about constantly analyzing issues, troubleshooting bugs, and fixing problems. It requires intense attention to detail and the use of logic. These are learned skills that you can refine the more you practice them.
If you learn how to code, you’ll train your brain to think logically and examine a problem from all angles while figuring out a solution. This can help you in every sphere of your work, whether you’re creating a new app or developing a new media strategy.
3. Adds To Collaboration Opportunities
Even if you’re in a non-technical position, having a basic knowledge of coding or learning a popular language can make it far easier to collaborate with technical people in your team. You’ll develop a greater understanding of a project and have far more to contribute, plus designers and developers will enjoy collaborating with you as you know what their work entails. You’ll have the ability to provide valuable feedback that’s based on your coding knowledge.
You can also use your coding skills to complete small tasks, such as adding animations to blog posts or websites or creating interactive presentations. This creates additional opportunities for collaboration and makes you an even more valuable member of the team.
4. Educates You About The Digital World
Code powers everything in the digital world, and if you learn to code, you’ll understand more about how the digital world works. You’ll not only understand how apps, websites, and games are built; but you’ll also understand how algorithms affect search engines. Or how companies collect and store data and how they can use it for personalization.
The more you know about how the internet and technology work, the better you can use them to your advantage. Whether it’s refining your search results or harnessing the power of data for marketing purposes, coding is an excellent digital education.
5. Enhances Your Creative Talents
If you think coding is all technical, you’d be wrong. It can also be a very creative field. You start with nothing but a vision and then grow it from the ground up. Every line of code you write adds to the final product, and you can refine and change this as you go.
There are also several different coding languages that you can learn, and each offers you the opportunity to do something slightly different. The end result of any coding project is a creative product as you’ve still completed a type of design.
6. Boosts Your Working Freedom
Developers currently occupy the top 3 earning spots for remote jobs in the IT sector. If you study coding and pursue a career in it, you’ll have a huge degree of freedom. Not only could you work remotely, but you can work from anywhere in the world too. You simply need a laptop and an internet connection and any collaborative tools that your workplace requires.
As there’s an ever-growing demand for skilled programmers, securing a remote job has become far easier. Whether you opt for a full-time position or work as a contractor, you can operate from anywhere. Geographical location is no longer a barrier to entry in many companies around the world.
7. Accelerates Your Self-Employment Potential
If you’re looking for a career with freedom and flexibility, coding offers all of that. You can opt to freelance instead of seeking out full-time employment. Or, if you want to make extra income, you can take on freelance coding projects as a side hustle.
In doing so, you can choose your working hours and the projects and clients that you take on. There are numerous platforms that can help you to find freelance coding jobs, and you can also set up an online portfolio to showcase past sites or projects you’ve worked on. This will ensure that clients can see what you’re capable of upfront.
8. Increases Your Marketability
Even if you’re not applying for a job as a programmer, you’ll be a far more appealing candidate overall if you have coding skills. The ability to code helps you to stand out against other candidates and enhances your value as a potential employee.
Including coding in your skill set enhances your resume and makes you more marketable for a vast number of jobs, even if you lack a degree, diploma, or other formal qualification.
Coding Creates Opportunities
Whether you’re keen to pursue a career as a developer or want to add programming to your list of skills, learning to code enhances your employment opportunities.
It’s also an excellent way to accelerate your career growth and to ensure you maintain a strong foothold in the marketplace as digital transformation continues to experience an upwards trajectory.