Posts published on April 6, 2016

Why You Have to Learn Programming Before Graduation

By MELISSA BURNS

Of course, nowadays one ideally should learn things like coding, website building and programming before college and some basics should be learnt even before school – but it is wishful thinking, and if you are reading this article, it is probably already a little bit too late. But why learn programming at all, especially if you are not going to work in the IT sphere? And why it is important to do it before you graduate? Let’s see.

1.    Programming Has the Potential to Change Your Life

If you’ve never seriously considered programming and associated vocations as your life’s work, you may be missing out on something very important. The most unlikely people suddenly discover their talents in this sphere after trying it out, and some of them achieve incredible results in very short time.

2.    It Is a Useful Skill to Have

Even if you won’t make programming your main source of income, it is still a good skill to have in modern world. With all kinds of software, applications, and combined interfaces permeating every part of our lives, knowing what makes it all tick, at least in a very basic form, is akin to knowing another language.

3.    The Industry Is Growing

Or, rather, it gradually ceases to be an industry and becomes an area of life that encompasses jobs, hobbies, lifestyles and general approaches to problem solving. Big companies, like Infor, led by a well-known innovator Charles Philips, are getting even bigger, small IT firms pop into existence virtually every day, and the process doesn’t seem to be going to slow down any time soon.

4.    There Is a Lot of Money in It

Right now, programming and associated jobs is one of the highest-paid lines of work in existence. Of course, there is a lot of difference in how much money a mediocre and an excellent programmer can make, but when compared to many other jobs, programming still offers higher pay for quite often shorter hours, leaving you sufficient time to pursue your hobbies, interests and further education.

5.    It Has Potential for Telecommuting

A good programmer can always negotiate the conditions with employer to make it possible to work remotely. Working with IT means many opportunities for that, and it is quite possible to work from home or even while travelling abroad.

6.    It Is Applicable in Many Fields

Even if IT has only a passing connection with your core job, knowing how to code can be of immense help. You can build a tool you and your team can use, mine your own data, automate tasks and much more. When dealing with professional programmers, you will be able to talk their language and better negotiate conditions with them.

Either as an everyday useful skill or as a chosen job, programming and coding is the thing that can considerably change the quality of your life. The earlier you get in contact with it, the quicker and deeper you will be able to go – so don’t waste any time and start out now.

Melissa Burns graduated from the faculty of Journalism of Iowa State University in 2008. Nowadays she  is an entrepreneur and independent journalist. Her sphere of interests includes startups, information technologies and how these ones may be implemented.

      

– See more at: https://collegepuzzle.stanford.edu/?p=5128#sthash.2l1njsWv.dpuf