But I don’t Want to be a Programmer

Why Code?

As members of the millennial generation are entering the workforce, many are shifting away from the stereotypical “9 to 5 desk jobs” that many of their parents used to have. One may think that as this shift occurs, being able to code is losing its value as a skill in the eyes of employers. The logic behind this misconception is heavily flawed as coding is much more than a means to computer programming; it is way of thinking which allows our minds to find innovative solutions to complex problems regardless of their correlation to computer science. Learning how to code seems like a highly specialized skill that is only useful to those who want a career in computer programming; however, there are many essential benefits that can be acquired through proficiency in coding.

As a student who is interested in pursuing a career in medicine, when I was first approached with a job offer as a teacher assistant for a company that teaches children how to code, I was skeptical as to its value to my future. However, my parents who are both in the IT (Information Technology) field encouraged me to give it a shot because they believed that coding is a skill that everyone should gain a basic understanding of. Getting involved in it was definitely a decision I did not regret for many reasons.

When coding, there are multiple methods in which to reach the end result that you are striving for. Unlike many of the skills that students learn in a classroom setting, coding forces them to think of innovative solutions when they run into an issue since there is no single “correct” way to code. I noticed that once I started to learn more about coding, I was applying the critical thinking skills I had learned to conflicts in my daily life and other places where I work. Having the skill of coding enhanced my ability to identify a problem and efficiently weigh the pros and cons of each possible solution in order to choose the most effective one.

The society that we live in is heavily dependent on technology regardless of which field you are aspiring to be involved in. Almost every company has a website and online communications to guide its business. Even the education field has started relying on technological devices in order to allow students to learn at their own pace and gain a more worldly comprehension of the topics being taught. Being able to code gives us a deeper knowledge of how technology works and allows us to be more self-sufficient. Learning how to code from a young age gives young workers the ability to create their own websites and solve many of their own technical problems without being dependent on an external helper. Being successful without any knowledge of computers is becoming increasingly more unrealistic in the technology-driven society that we have built.

Whether or not you want to be a computer programmer, you should open yourself up to all that coding has to offer. There are many problem-solving skills that can be learned from this, and no matter which field you end up in, there is a high probability that you will depend on technology in some form to do your job. It would be beneficial to gain an understanding of the framework that goes into basic computer science.