As we continuously thread into the digital era, employment that requires coding skills has been growing. In fact, computer and information technology (IT) occupations have been growing at a faster rate than any other occupations, and employment is projected to grow by 11 percent for the next 9 years.
That being the case, we further discuss some of the reasons why you should consider coding as one of the important skills to add to your resume.
1. Coding as a basic Literacy in the digital age
This does not necessarily mean that you have to be able to understand and code in a complex programming language. Coding as a basic literacy means you have to have a basic understanding of how coding works. You need to know the fundamentals and logic behind it so that you can communicate with others more effectively.
Whether you are in the IT industry or not, coding is still an important skill. Many sectors and industries have started to move into the digital world, and almost all professions require that you at least know some basic coding languages like HTML and CSS.
2. Career flexibility
As more and more businesses continue to embrace the digital landscape, knowing how to code would essentially open up several doors and new areas of opportunities. It would make you a flexible and adaptable candidate in this ever-changing digital economy.
Despite not having a deep understanding of some of the coding languages, knowing some of the basics would always come in handy. At some point, you would need to interact with a professional programmer or developer, and when that time comes, you would be able to put your coding skills into good use.
3. Streamlines the work process
Knowing how to code usually comes with the perks of being updated and well-versed with the latest technology. Since most businesses and companies use some form of technology to streamline their work process, being able to utilize and work with these technologies would surely give you an advantage in the workplace. You can effectively incorporate these technologies into your work and make everyday tasks a lot easier to handle.
4. Great marketing tool
Even if you are not an experienced or well-trained coder, you can still use your basic coding skill as a great marketing tool. Since one of the requisites for new businesses nowadays is to have a website for marketing, your coding skills would be put into great use.
Just by being familiar with the basic coding languages, you no longer have to rely on a different team to fix simple problems for you. You would save a lot of time and you would not be entirely dependent on your developer team.
5. Future-proof career and job security
Since the digital world has been entwined with our everyday lives, being able to code in different languages would help you earn jobs even outside your profession.
Apart from that, coding is also a great value-added skill that you can use in freelancing. Given that there is an increasing number of businesses willing to outsource coders, you can embark on your freelancing journey anytime.
Can you still learn how to code?
Thanks to the internet, you now have a wide collection of learning materials and resources that are freely accessible.
You can now learn coding by taking online classes, attending coding camps, watching educational videos, downloading modules, or even through creating apps or playing coding games for kids. The coding community has come up with different ways that make learning how to code fun and exciting for everyone.
So with that in mind, it is never too early or too late to start learning how to code.
Update and upskill to advance your career
Keeping abreast of the industry trends and upskilling yourself with the latest skill requirement is one of the surefire ways to adapt to this ever-changing digital landscape.
Picking up some coding skills and learning more about tech and IT would surely help you build a successful career in the long run.