To Code or Not to Code, That is the Question - to better your career

Although most industry experts recommend every professional learn coding to become more diverse in the marketplace, it might not be worth it. Learning to code is exceptionally difficult, and eventually, may become obsolete.

Coding has certainly increased in popularity within the past few years. As the Information Age presses on, professionals are scrambling to remain relevant in a constantly changing environment. Most industry experts suggest all professionals learn coding. If you’re on the fence, please reconsider.

It’s harder than you think

The fact of the matter is coding is very, very difficult. Most computer programmers study the topic during undergraduate studies, and many continue researching the craft in graduate school. And while tons of coding e-learning programs are popping up everywhere, the average self-taught coder simply cannot compete against experts who have exclusively studied coding for five years or more. In fact, the market for professional coders is highly competitive among those who are skilled, let alone competing as a novice.

It requires a special way of thinking

Computer programming is based upon mathematical algorithms. If you went to school for engineering, architecture, or mathematics, it is very likely you could pick up programming relatively easily. For all of those liberal arts students, however, it will be a stretch.

Coding is all about learning how to think like a computer, so you can speak to a computer and get it to execute the tasks you need. Things always go wrong when programming, and it takes a trained eye to recognize which line of code may be responsible for a program break. If you can look at a series of zeros, ones, root words, and symbols and discern meaning, then yes, programming may be for you.

When learning to code can be useful

Let’s take a step back, and consider when learning to code can be useful.

• You must be knowledgeable when hiring or working with computer programmers
• You need to make a proof-of-concept for an app you are working on
• You are actually excited about computer programming as a career
• You want more well-rounded skills as a graphic or web designer
• You want to learn something new and fun for personal fulfillment
• You need to execute software maintenance in-house

In these cases, I would agree learning to code is a useful skill. In the examples above, it is really useful to have a basic understanding of coding so you can diversify your job skills, and make better hiring decisions if you need to bring a computer programmer on staff. If you are actually excited about computer hardware or software development, by all means go to a school with a great computer engineering program.

At the end of the day, learning to code is really difficult. The skills you will learn using an online program will not compare to what one can learn at a reputable school teaching hands-on coursework (which is fine if it’s a hobby, or you just need a basic understanding for prototyping or general knowledge). But you should not jump into coding because the experts say you must.

In fact, there is a very real chance as technology transitions into the digital age that human workers will be less in demand than our robotic counterparts, and only the best computer programmers and roboticists will have a chance in the cutthroat job world. So what can you do? Do what you love, and forget the rest.

If you do really want to learn coding at home, here are some resources

Also, it is worth noting that Python, Ruby on Rails, and JavaScript are some of the easiest languages for newbies to learn. If you aren’t sure where to start, Code Academy offers free courses for most languages so you can get your feet wet.

1. 1. Pay What You Want

A platform where you can learn various programs and set your own price, so long as you bid above the average.

1. 2. Code Academy

A free learning environment that offers endless exercises to teach you the fundamentals and idiosyncrasies of each programming language and corresponding functions.

1. 3. Edurila

The resource for freelancers looking to code as a career. It offers advice for monetization and client acquisition, as well as coding tutorials.

1. 4. eduCBA

A comprehensive platform for coders, designers, and aspiring IT consultants. It has tutorials for various techie career paths.

1. 5. Code.org

A fun, engaging way for kids (or adults) to learn to code by creating games with their favorite characters; including characters from Star Wars, Minecraft, and Disney’s Frozen.

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