I recently asked a friend what she thinks will be the most useful language to know in the future. Her answer? A computer coding language. Although it wasn’t the answer I was looking for, it makes sense.
As a junior about to enroll in classes for my last year of college, I’ve recently been weighing what I still want to learn. My majors are set and I don’t have the time or resources to make drastic changes to my education path, but what kind of things will be useful as the next crop of students enter the workforce?
Learning the fundamentals of computer programming is proving to be a marketable skill in a variety of industries. While an extensive knowledge is not necessary for all young professionals, a working knowledge of how to code is an increasingly useful asset, even for those pursuing degrees in the area of humanities. People with computer programming skills are often guaranteed jobs out of college as a new wave of digital entrepreneurship takes off. According to TIME magazine, the third most in-demand jobs right now are in software development, with a median salary of just under $100,000 a year.
For those who think coding seems mundane, many of the products programmers are creating are innovative, useful and highly marketable. As a hopeful journalist, the prospects of online journalism are innumerable and knowing how to code plays a role in that. The media field is one place we are seeing experimentation and new ideas as consumers flock to the Internet for news.
Looking back, I wish I had taken even one computer science class in my undergraduate career. But what’s the point of looking back? Let’s look forward. Seizing the opportunity to learn at least the fundamentals and general theory behind programming and web design is not a waste of time. Whether during one’s college experience or beyond, it is never too late to learn. Still, as a child, I thought of the people who created and programmed computers as geniuses, automatically ruling myself out of the possibility of a future in the tech industry.
One thing education leaders can do to better prepare the next generation for a tech-centered world is to introduce coding into curriculums in elementary and middle school.
With the right education and encouragement, people can be immersed in how to code from an earlier age, at a time when it is the easiest to learn the fundamentals. I wish I had known earlier that it doesn’t take a genius to code, it takes logic. Even if students do not end up in tech careers, understanding the basics of coding can still serves an engaging mental exercise. While there are academic resources to learn programming, there are also things you can do individually. Websites like codeacademy.com and teamtreehouse.com provide online training for people who want to learn on their own.
As technology becomes more important in how the world functions, encouraging coding literacy for all ages, and specifically from an early age, will help the United States stay ahead in an increasingly competitive global economy.
Mara Jezior is a junior studying journalism and history at UW-Madison. Do you agree with her about coding’s importance? Email Mara at mara.jezior@dailycardinal.com to tell her what you think.
