Why Learn To Code: 12 Surprising Benefits By: Daisy Robinson November 8, 2021 Estimated reading time: 7 minutes. When you think of code, what do you think about? Is it building something from the ground up? Solving rewarding problems? Or having a career where you can grow and flourish? Or maybe, it’s the fact that you can tackle some pretty complex projects with code? Whatever your thoughts are on coding, we’re here to tell you that learning to code will be a beneficial choice that you won’t regret. But first off, what even is coding? Simply put, “coding is the language used by computers to understand and process our requests.” It’s vital to how our world operates nowadays, and it's an integral part of modern technology. Just think about any automation, software, or website - they are all built from code. So, with that being said - why should you learn to code? In this article, we’ll break down the importance of learning to code and why you should take the leap of faith to learn a new skill this year. Why Is It Important to Learn to Code? It wasn’t long ago that coding was seen as a geeky hobby rather than a potential career path. But these days, having coding as a skill set can not only differentiate you from others, but it opens up many doors for well-paying jobs as well as plenty of opportunities for personal development. Here are 8 benefits that you may not associate with learning to code. 1. Helps You Understand Technology We already know how integral technology is in the modern world - and it’s only going to develop further. Coding plays an essential part in this technological evolution, and learning how to code before the field develops further, will give you the tools to help shape the future. Get involved in exciting ventures such as self-driving cars, automated systems for large organizations, and ground-breaking startups, just to name a few of the opportunities! 2. Work with People All Over the World Since being a developer requires you to only work from your computer, it’s possible to work from anywhere with people from different countries. So whether you build your own company as a professional developer working to help other companies bring their ideas to life, or you work remotely for an agency contributing to their projects. Or, even if you choose to live in a new city to land that dream job, you can truly choose a career path that’s exciting and works well for you - wherever you may be in the world. 3. Be Part of a Community Join a growing and enthusiastic community that loves coding just as much as you. There are many online communities for coding enthusiasts that you can share experiences with, ask questions, or even make new like-minded friends. Get out there and get to know them! 4. Open Doors for Your Career No matter how you decide to implement your coding knowledge, many industries are looking for talented coders and thus offer excellent earning potential across various career choices. So whether you’re just beginning your career or you’re a well-established coder, you can genuinely build a professional lifestyle that suits you, your needs, and your interests with lots of room to work your way to the top and earn a successful living. 5. Expand Your Knowledge Did you know that learning to code can help you in other subjects you’re learning or studying? For example, when tackling a coding problem, you learn how to break the challenge into individual steps and use a language that the computer will understand. By practicing this method, you develop a mindset that helps you tackle any problem confidently and in manageable steps instead of getting overwhelmed with the given task. 6. Create Your Own Schedule Many developers work remotely or are successful freelancers, offering you the freedom to work on your schedule while charging your desired fee. Whether you love working through the night to spend more of the day with your family, or you want to take a 3-day weekend every week, by building a career on your terms, you have the flexibility to work when you’re most efficient and not by following everyone else’s rules. 7. Bring Your Ideas to Life We all have ideas that we want to bring to life, but the cool thing about understanding code is that you actually CAN bring them to life yourself. No need to wait around to find someone to build your new app or automation - you can simply transform your ideas into a tangible product from the comfort of your desk. 8. Improve Your Confidence How amazing does it feel when you complete a hard project or solve a problem? Or even just excelling at tasks and knowing that you're good at your job? Learning to code gives you all that excitement and empowerment daily - and that’s pretty rewarding. In addition, when working with code, you also gain a greater understanding of technology and how it and its users interact, helping you feel confident in tackling any related problem that arises since you know you have the knowledge to solve it. What Are the Advantages of Coding? Not only does learning how to code help improve many areas of your life in general, but it’s also incredibly beneficial for your career. Think higher-paying jobs, more flexibility, opening new doors that you never thought were possible: here are 4 bonus reasons learning to code is, simply, a smart move. 9. Increase Your Salary Coding and programming careers have great earning potential. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, an American organization) tracks salary and other workforce information for different careers. For 2020, here are the median annual salary for coding and programming-related professions: Web Developers: USD $77,200 Network and Computer Systems Administrators: USD 84,810 Computer Programmers: USD 89,190 Database Administrators & Architects: USD 98,860 Software Developers: USD 110,140 10. Career Flexibility Learning to code opens up new areas of opportunity that you may have never thought were possible. For example, you’re a web designer, but you enjoy the development side more than the designing, or you’re tech-obsessed with a natural understanding of how computers work. Or do you find that many jobs you’re applying for (or are interested in) require a greater depth of coding knowledge than you currently know? By adding coding to your skillset, you can not only apply for a new range of jobs, but with the field of software engineering and technology only getting larger, you can choose to work where makes you happiest - not just where you can pay the bills. 11. Improve Your Problem Solving Skills Working with code requires a lot of trial and error and patience. However, by tackling problems that arise from coding, you’ll not only improve your logical thinking skills by seeing problems from a new perspective, but you can use these problem-solving skills in both your personal and professional life. Win-win! 12. Increase Your Marketability Understanding code isn’t a requirement for all jobs, but it could help you become a key player in your organization if you know the basics. Plus, speaking or reading basic coding languages, such as HTML and CSS, can help you better communicate with the developers (and them with you), which would lessen confusion between coders and non-coders, thus speeding up the project. Do you work in Marketing? Then knowing how to code can be extra beneficial for your career. It can allow you to make more informed decisions, complete quick code-related fixes yourself, and generate more innovative ideas. Bonus, it also adds another skill to your list quickly, making you indispensable. Why Should I Learn to Code in 2022? Technology is rapidly changing, and the demand for software products is only increasing. Automation is everywhere and will only grow into other fields, while algorithms are getting smarter and smarter, genuinely understanding our next steps (and even thoughts). The desire to have apps and websites that are highly functional is also an expectation for every company. With technology continually in our faces, it’s a constant reminder of just how important it is and that the emergence of deep learning will continue opening up a world of possibilities. If joining a growing field filled with consistent new jobs and the opportunity to be part of a new community sounds interesting to you, then learning how to code should be on your radar for 2022. But, do you need further convincing? Here are four bonus reasons to learn coding before the end of the year. Quick to Learn Although it depends on your schedule and goals, it is possible to learn to code very quickly. If you join a coding bootcamp or are dedicated to teaching yourself, you can learn coding in as little as three months. If you’re ready to switch careers or you’re learning code part-time, expect to dedicate about a year to master this new skill. Heading to University? You’ll most likely learn coding within a few months, but earning your degree will depend on your program. Lastly, if you already know code and want to boost your knowledge, you can take your skills to the next level within a few weeks by learning to code a new language. Job Security As the world changed so much in the last two years, it became even more apparent how vital job security is. With a rise in unemployment and a quick transition to working from home, the opportunity to pursue a career in coding offers the chance to have a consistent job no matter what’s going on in the world. According to the Evans Data Corporation’s Developer Population survey, there were 23.9 million professional software developers worldwide in 2019. This is up from 16 million in 2011 and is projected to continue to 45 million by 2030. This shows that the IT sector is quickly expanding and that people’s lives are becoming more dependent on technology while working remotely is becoming the norm. Working as a developer or in the technology field guarantees that you’ll have lots of job opportunities for years to come. Increased Versatility Working in software development allows you to work with basically any company and in many different roles. Whether you’re a software developer, data analyst, software architect, or many more, there’s no shortage of job opportunities. There aren’t many sectors in the job market that offer this type of versatility! Rewarding Career If you enjoy coding and solving problems, working in tech can be an enriching career. Feel the enjoyment that comes from building something from scratch and having millions of people use your work or simply use the valuable skills you learned from coding to many different problem-solving jobs, allowing you to feel confident in what you can bring to the table. Start Your Coding Career with Lighthouse Labs Lighthouse Labs has many bootcamps to help kickstart your career: whether you’re entirely new to coding and need a solid support system to learn a new skill or you want to uplevel your knowledge to confidently use coding in your job. With our Web Development Program, you can take your knowledge from zero to pro or become a professional in your career in an intense 12-30 weeks. All our programs are entirely online, designed to be completed from anywhere, along with a hands-on focused education that will set you up for an exciting new career. If you have questions, reach out to our alumni to find out what it’s like to learn with Lighthouse Labs.