The more technology has become integrated into everyone’s lives, the more important it has become to learn how to program. In the past, knowing programming may have seemed like an elite skill-set reserved for highly technological jobs. Fast forward to the present, and all kinds of companies are hiring programmers to assist in multiple situations. In many cases, you don’t even need a college degree to get a programming job.
Even if you may have never thought about working with computers at all, programming could be your future. Here are six big reasons why you might want to make that plunge today.
1. Learning Code Isn’t as Hard as You Think
There seems to be a misconception that coding is a difficult skill to pick up. Truthfully, many people who think that way have never tried to learn themselves. While getting started with programming isn’t exactly easy, the same can be said for most skills.
One of the reasons why many believe coding is hard is simply that they weren’t taught how to code in school. Thus, it’s an entirely new concept to them. Thankfully, there are now many resources available online for free that you can start to read over.
You don’t have to start with a difficult programming language either. Picking up a simpler one like Python or HTML will set the building blocks to more complex ones like C++. Once you have a solid foundation, the rest will come more naturally through studying and a good work ethic.
2. High Demand for Jobs
If you learn how to code, there are many opportunities out there for you. In just the past decade, companies all over the country have realized a need to hire programmers. In some cases, they are looking for people who have a solid coding foundation rather than degrees or qualifications.
Consider how many businesses have turned to the online marketplace due to the pandemic. In order to set up ecommerce websites and systems, they have to hire programmers. Also, there are more and more people out there who have ideas for apps and startups that need manpower.
3. Flexible Work Situations
If it isn’t already obvious, working as a programmer allows you work out of your home more often than not. Many companies have come around to the idea of remote jobs. Being able to stay at home also means that you’ll have more opportunities to choose from. All of a sudden, taking a job two towns over isn’t as complicated.
Working from home also gives you a lot more control over your free time. This is especially true if you do freelance jobs. It will be a lot easier to juggle work, play, and any other responsibilities that you have.
4. Job Security
Every other week, it seems like there is a new article spelling doom and gloom for the workforce due to automation. The same can’t be said about the programming sector. After all, coding is used in automation from everything from the setup to maintenance. Not only does this mean programming isn’t going anywhere, but it also will become relevant in industries where it previously wasn’t a factor.
Programming jobs aren’t going to disappear anytime soon. As mentioned previously, the demand for proficient coders is going to stay strong. Becoming proficient at it means having strong job security for the future.
5. Programming is Good for Your Mind
As more studies come out about the effects of programming on the body, it’s becoming evident that coding benefits your brain in a positive manner. Your mind is like any other muscle in your body. The more you use it, the stronger and healthier it will be. That also means that it’ll affect you in more ways than just being more efficient at writing code.
Programming is essentially constant problem solving. You are working at a task to solve a particular problem over and over, and that increases your cognitive and metal abilities. That will make you better at processing information overall, and help you work through big life decisions.
6. Programming = Big Money
A big reason why programming is trending online and across social media is because of all the success stories being shared. You’ll probably have heard the story before of how a down-on-their-luck individual decides to give coding a chance. After a few years, they are suddenly employed by huge companies they would have never imagined working with.
The truth is, the already established billion dollar corporations are actually looking for people with proven track records in coding that can prove some real world experience in a work environment. But the good news is that as we become more and more dependent on tech, such as tablets, laptops and phones, there will always be a lot of demand for programmers of all skill levels.
Even though you won’t be making millions of dollars right off the bat, the average starting salary for an entry level programmer can range anywhere from $90,000 to $130,000 a year. After a few years, you can expect to make well into 6 figures and live comfortably for the rest of your life.
The reason why most people are so hesitant to start their journey into coding is that it seems extremely difficult. But if you just change your mindset to thinking that it is almost exactly like learning another language, you can 100% learn how to code as long as it take it little by little and make sure you comprehend the basics before moving onto the next chapter.
