Intrigued by coding and computer science, but don’t know where to start? We turned to seven industry and academic experts in fields from cybersecurity to cloud computing to learn how code-curious learners can begin exploring skills and career paths and why now is a great time to get into coding.
Why Learn to Code Now?
1. We live in a computerized world
“A lot of the strengths of getting into coding right now are pretty obvious—the world is increasingly computerized, demand for the skills is still on the rise, and the technology changes so fast that even if you’re behind now, you won’t stay behind for long because everyone has to keep learning,” said David Joyner, PhD, executive director of online education and OMSCS for the College of Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and instructor for several courses and programs on edX, such as Computing in Python I: Fundamentals and Procedural Programming.
"Coding for the web is easy and very often leads to satisfying and fun experiences. With the advent of machine learning and more, there is an unexplored world of future web applications and usages to create and play with."
“So, more than ever, people need to either acquire or keep up web programming skills. Coding for the web is easy and very often leads to satisfying and fun experiences. With the advent of machine learning, smart things, and more, there is an unexplored world of future web applications and usages to create and play with. As a woman in tech, I especially encourage girls to embrace these web skillsets!” said W3C Head of Training Marie-Claire Forgue, who developed the W3Cx MOOC program in partnership with edX, where web developers worldwide can learn front-end web development techniques using W3C web standards.
2. Coding Can Boost Your Market Value
You don’t need a computer science degree to increase your market value. According to a report by Burning Glass, jobs that require coding skills earn $22,000 more than those that don’t, and more non-tech jobs are demanding workers who can code. Additionally, the ability to code can open more job opportunities in other fields such as marketing, data science, and cybersecurity.
3. Coding is essential in fields like IT, cybersecurity, and fintech
“Coding will always be an integral part of the information technology (IT) profession. Coding has paved the way for the development of large systems and infrastructures and has contributed to technological advances in cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI). Every system requires software to run and software is developed by coders. Coding skills are relevant in all aspects of IT, from system development to system configuration/implementation and usage,” said Dr. Patrick Appiah-Kubi, program director and associate professor in Cloud Computing Architecture at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) and instructor for UMGC and USMx’s MicroMasters® Program in Cloud Computing.
“Offensively, coding makes attacks and exploits faster and more effective. Defensively, cybersecurity professionals need strong coding skills to keep up with the adversary’s custom coded exploits and to automate their own defenses,” said Dr. John S. Galliano, program director for Cybersecurity Technology at UGMC.
"Going forward, technology will play an ever more central role in the future evolution of finance, with huge opportunities and challenges for people and financial regulators across the world."
“Going forward, technology will play an ever more central role in the future evolution of finance, with huge opportunities and challenges for people and financial regulators across the world. For me, among the most exciting developments center around central bank digital currencies – CBDCs, such as China’s Digital Yuan project or proposals for a Digital Dollar. These meld money and technology together and will underpin revolutions in global finance going forward,” said Douglas Arner, director of the Asian Institute of International Financial Law at the University of Hong Kong and instructor for HKUx’s Introduction to FinTech course.
4. You can code from home
“Especially in this age of social distancing, coding is a job you can do from home. Lots of organizations, such as Mozilla, have almost entirely distributed workforces. Just like online education means you no longer have to move to continue your education, coding skills means you may not have to move for a new job,” Joyner said.
How To Teach Yourself To Code: Learn Python and Build Breadth
1. Start With Python
Python is considered one of the easiest coding languages to learn. It’s used in many applications and considered a must-have skill for data science professionals. “For beginners, I would suggest Python (or similar scripting languages) to start with. It is an easy language to pick up, highly productive, and also is useful in many practical situations such as data analysis,” said Dr. S.M. Yiu, professor at the Department of Computer Science of the University of Hong Kong and instructor for HKUx’s FinTech Professional Certificate program.
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“In my mind, there is no comparison in terms of online documentation, user community, ease-of-learning, and general capabilities of Python. I also suggest data science-focused learners to pick up the R language in parallel as it provides encapsulated libraries that aren’t always available in Python,” said Dr. Clayton Miller, assistant professor for the School of Design and Environment’s Department of Building at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and instructor for the NUS edX course Data Science for Construction, Architecture and Engineering.
With that said, if you’re a complete novice to learning programming or have no background in STEM, learning HTML and CSS, which are important for front end web development and web design, can be a much easier place to start.
2. Become a Generalist
Learning how to code can be overwhelming for beginners. According to Joyner, it’s best to start as a generalist and develop a broad foundation in computer science and coding. “You can go deep and specialize very heavily in one in-demand field, such as data science, web development, or artificial intelligence, or you can go broad and seek to be more of a generalist, dabbling in a little bit of each,” said Joyner.
“Personally, I think it’s prudent to go for the latter: do a little bit of everything. I say that because the beauty of computing is that the field is changing so fast that even if you specialize, you’re going to have to continue learning within that domain to stay current.”
3. Build a Project
As you develop new coding skills, you’ll want to solidify what you’ve learned and stretch your problem solving skills by creating a small project. Projects are a great way to build your portfolio and showcase your work as you advance your skills and career. Below are a few project ideas you can start:
- A personal website
- A simple application
- A game
- An ecommerce store
Learn Coding From These Instructors and More on edX
Whether you’re just getting started or have been coding for years, there’s always something new to learn on edX. Explore coding courses and programs taught by the professionals and instructors featured in this post and more.
Keep Reading
Is learning to code worth it? Whether you’re already working in software engineering full-time or learning to program for the first time, learn more about how coding skills can translate to valuable real-world problem solving in careers of all kinds. Browse a few excerpts from other coding-related articles.
The 4 Most Lucrative Programming Skills You Can Learn Online
The demand for computer programmers is as hot as ever and there is no end in sight. If you are looking for a secure job with the flexibility to work online from anywhere, software development is the way to go. One of the best things about the field of computer programming is that the most popular programming languages can be found with a quick Google search and can be learned online for free. Introductory programming courses are available for learning Java, Python, Perl, Ruby, C++, HTML, PHP, CSS, and pretty much everything else. In addition to free online courses, there are hosts of websites dedicated to teaching you in-demand programming languages. Basic programming knowledge can help you build a path to a multitude of career paths — web development, game development, machine learning, data science, and more. To add top programming skills to your resume, all you need is a computer, some dedicated time, and the desire to learn.
Advice From an IBM Data Scientist: Start With Python and You’ll Go Far
Across industries, data scientists are bringing buzzwords to life: artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, data visualization. Behind the buzzwords are software skills like Python, R, SQL, CSS, and Javascript. The list goes on and can sound intimidating, but getting started is more approachable than ever and the value of foundational, entry-level data science skills is taking off.
Software Engineers: What They Do and How to Become One
Groundbreaking technology is only groundbreaking for so long. New is constantly replacing old, as demand for growth is constant. Both individuals and organizations look to utilize the latest technology, in turn creating demand for software engineers who make many of these advancements possible. Think about the last time you used Excel Online, Photoshop, iTunes, or even Google Chrome. They were all constructed by software engineers. Operating systems, database management systems, and computer games are also created by software engineers – and those are just a few examples.
