Five Reasons Why You Should Learn To Code

Five Reasons Why You Should Learn To Code

Knowing how to code is one of today’s most valuable and sought-after skills. It’s hard to go without hearing how important it is to develop your computer literacy, and coding is very much a part of this. Many influential people including Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and even President Barack Obama have encouraged others to learn how to code.

As more and more jobs rely on technology, many employers are looking for candidates with some type of computer literacy. Having even the most basic coding skills puts you that much further ahead of the pack. Beyond this, if you work in IT, knowing how to code opens up a more options for career advancement.

If you’re considering a career in IT or want to take the next step in your career, here are five reasons you should learn to code with an online class.

1. Learning code will make you more literate.

Some will argue that coding is a type of literacy and extremely important. In fact, the Computer Science for ALL Students consortium supports coding literacy and works to empower people to “be creators in the digital economy, not just consumers, and to be active citizens in our technology-driven world.”

One place to start is learning HTML, the most commonly used markup language. This will help you better understand how code is used to format the layout of a webpage. Better yet, it will help you design your own webpages.

2. Knowing how to code will make you more self-sufficient.

Beyond markup languages like HTML and XMlL, learning an introductory programming language like Java or SQL will help you understand how code is used to create databases or web applications.

You’ll understand the time it takes to bring an idea to fruition. Moreover, developing self-lead projects is a great way to strengthen your portfolio. It’s no secret that job recruiters and hiring managers look for self-motivated people. If you have the determination to pick up learn coding on your own, you’re a more valuable candidate in the long run.

3. Practicing code will help you start to think differently.

Practicing your coding skills will help you develop a keen attention to detail. When you understand that a single mistype can ruin your entire code, you become great at checking your work. You’ll also develop a logical way of thinking that can be applied to almost any career.

Coding will force you to create a plan, identify potential problems, and troubleshoot. These skills are valuable in any industry and career.

4. Knowing how to code will improve your communication and collaboration skills.

Any project, including technical projects, involves many different people with varied perspectives. If you work in tech, some of these people will have code literacy and others will not.

But even in entry level IT positions, having some knowledge of coding will help you better understand how to set realistic expectations in terms of quality, timelines, and overall results. This will make you a more effective team member and a better leader.

5. Teaching yourself a new programming language will teach you persistence.

When coding, you will begin to see problems as well as their solutions. As soon as you encounter a problem in your program, you will immediately begin working out various ways you can solve that problem in the best possible way. No matter how difficult the problem, you’ll become driven to solve it in order to make your code work. This will help you learn patience and persistence in not just coding but in life. You’ll learn that there is always a solution and if you keep trying, you will find it.

When you decide to learn a new programming language, an online coding course is one of the best ways to make your goal a reality. You have an environment where you can practice privately and work at your own pace. Put in the effort to learn how to code, and you’ll open the door to new opportunities in your current career and even an entry level IT career.

Want to take the first step in your coding journey?

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