Why Coding Is Important?: 10 Reasons Why You Should Learn To Code

While coding has become more popular nowadays, you might have questioned why coding is important? Or why should you start learning how to code? Preface School of Technology has consolidated 10 reasons why coding is important!

What is Coding?

Coding refers to the intercommunication process for us to give instructions for a computer or program to process our requests. It is widely used in our daily life, from gadgets such as smartphones, tablets, smart TV and other smart home appliances, to automated cars and facilities like traffic lights, etc., it has been part of our lives. In 2024's AI era, the importance of coding continues to grow with the emergence of chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.

Why is Coding important?

Many people learn coding because of their career development, or simply because of their interests, but the benefits are much more than that. Steve Jobs once said, “Everybody should learn to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think.” When you know how to think, you open up endless possibilities to your work and life. Whether you're a parent looking for kids coding courses, or you're a working adult who's trying to upskill yourself, check out 10 reasons why we should learn to code below.

Coding encourages the use of logical reasoning and algorithms to create programs. When tackling a new challenge, you must employ a logical approach to find a solution, thus exercising and enhancing your logical abilities.

This process is a key part of 'Computational Thinking', an essential skill in today's digitised world. It's about breaking down complex issues, recognises patterns, and develops step-by-step solutions. In Preface School of Technology, we teach students to think critically, apply effective reasoning, and solve problems across various contexts, enhancing their analytical skills.

This skill is not only crucial for coding but also beneficial in everyday life, promoting structured thinking and problem-solving. A huge part of Preface’s educational philosophy is about Computational Thinking, as we aim to equip children and adults with unique problem-solving skill sets that they can apply in their personal and professional lives in the future.

Coding teaches you how to think. During the coding process, you need to give a solution to an issue that involves intensive problem-solving skills. It trains your brain to think deeply, identify the troubles, and break things up, then put the pieces together with a solution. These kinds of troubleshooting skills help you become a smarter person personally and professionally and see a situation from a completely new perspective.

Someone might think coding is boring with standard formulas, but it can be fun and creative. There won’t be the same problems to be resolved every time, you will overcome different kinds of challenges that require new solutions. While working on coding projects, you can make use of your creativity to provide a tailored solution to an issue – and your innovative solution might somehow change the world.

Programmers and developers are in high demand all over the world. Companies are willing to provide attractive packages to them. From the recent survey of SalaryExplorer, the median salary of a developer or programmer in Hong Kong is HK$33,800 per month, ranging from HK$15,600 to HK$53,800 per month while the report by Census and Statistics Department indicates the median monthly income for general HK labour force in December 2023 was only HK$19,800 per month.

Technology is a growing trend in the digital economy providing massive job opportunities. Programmers, software engineers, and prompt engineers, are in high demand across different industries. With coding as the fundamental skill, you open up career choices. It also makes your portfolio stand out from the others. Many companies might also outsource their coding-related works, thus, being a coding expert helps you earn freelance income, and offers career flexibility as a digital nomad.

Coding is not only useful for technical roles, it also helps in non-coding jobs. When you know how to code and apply Computational Thinking, you can automate the operational progress or apply the way of thinking in marketing campaigns. Even just knowing basic coding helps you communicate with technical colleagues effectively, thus enhancing the overall efficiency of the projects.

Learning to code helps you accomplish innovative projects and make you a valuable asset to the company. With Computational Thinking, you can visualise and understand the risk and challenges from an engineer’s point of view, making you a great teammate or leader to work with. Coding skills also help you leverage data and logical thinking in decision making, thus achieving better performance.

Technology has become a part of our daily life. We rely on technologies in data analysis, finance, the health sector, education, and every single step of our daily lives. Learning to code helps you understand the world and solve the problems we encounter every day, from understanding errors in mobile devices to innovating new ideas that change the world.

The most motivating thing in learning to code is to create something yourself. You can digitise your ideas, for instance, create an app that might get viral in the market. Or you can start your own business with technical knowledge, from an online shop to consultant agency, service providers, or mobile games company, you name it. In short, learning to code can be a way to make your dreams come true.

Our world is full of technology, we use numerous software and apps every day. When you know how to build these things and understand their mechanism, you will feel more confident. Once you can solve the problem yourself, you do not need to wait for someone to help. You don’t need to be an expert to be self-sufficient, by knowing just a little can make a huge difference to your life. Learning to code can help your life in a way you can never imagine.

Want to keep up with the tech-driven future? Check out the Summer Coding Bootcamps offered by Preface School of Technology! If you're interested in a more relaxed way to learn about tech, why not enjoy the exquisite beverage selection from Preface Coffee & Wine while staying updated with the latest knowledge?

How and where can I learn to code?

‘Code camps’, or ‘Coding Bootcamps’, are structured and intensive programs that help learners to learn the key coding skills in an accelerated curriculum. It is one of the fastest ways to learn coding from zero to hero. At Preface School of Technology, we provide comprehensive coding bootcamp for all ages, from kids to adults. Our course offerings range from the block-based ScratchJR to the text-based Python. We're proud to offer these courses across 15 different locations and at a variety of convenient times.

Check out here for our latest Summer Courses in 2024.

There are numerous free resources available online. While they are free, many require persistence from the learner and are primarily targeted at adults. For children, we recommend professionally curated lessons with certified trainers to ensure a comprehensive learning experience.

YouTube Channels

Some YouTubers or educational institutions provide free coding tutorials on their channels, that includes freeCodeCamps, Programming with Mosh, etc. 

freeCodeCamps (Free Coding Courses)

freeCodeCamp is the most popular free coding camps provider. They offer around 300 learning hours of coding boot camp materials and self-learning materials, including tutorial videos, online notes, MC questions. There is also a discussion forum for you to ask questions, but the turnaround time and response rate cannot be guaranteed.

Codecademy (Free/ Paid Coding Coueses)

Codecademy is one of the popular code learning platforms, providing both free and paid coding content. Their curriculum provides over 14 programming languages, e.g. HTML, CSS, Sass, JavaScript, Rails, AngularJS, ReactJS, Ruby, Command Line, Git, SQL, Java, etc.

While the aforementioned courses are free, they require significant self-discipline and independent learning. Preface School of Technology offers paid courses with professional instructors, designed with the teaching philosophy of Computational Training and Design Thinking. In the AI era, it's crucial to equip yourself with both thinking and technical skills. We offer our perspective on the future for everyone from kids aged 4 to professionals and parents.

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