It’s a tech world all over the universe, and without a doubt, programming is one of the most in-demand skills across the globe right now.
And with the continued evolution of (AI) (Artificial Intelligence), Big Data and Quantum Technology, there is a lot to suggest that the programming industry will only get bigger in the coming years.
While lucrativeness and personal fulfillment are oftentimes the most powerful motivators in choosing a career path, there’s much more to programming.
In this article, we take a look at 8 compelling reasons you should consider a career path in programming in this year:
1. Programming presents unlimited job openings
Programming is one of the few fields whose applications cut across virtually all industries. Be it Medicine, Agriculture, Economics, Accounting, Education, Architecture, Geography and even Sports, the services of a programmer are always required.
Advanced medical imaging equipment run on codes, just as numerous accounting and statistical analysis tools. Technologies such as the Hawk-Eye in tennis and Goal Line Technology in football are possible only because of programmers. It’s an unending world of possibilities for a programmer if you can become one.
2. Programming requires no special qualification
While a background in computer and other related sciences will give you an edge, you can still learn programming irrespective of your discipline.
Hiring in the programming industry is based on the skills you possess and not your degree. Big Tech companies such as Google, Apple and Facebook hire based on skills and knowledge and they employ thousands of programmers around the globe both directly and indirectly. Zuckerberg-backed African Tech giant, Andela hires out programmers to tech firms globally.
4. Programming helps with inventiveness
Have that social problem you’ve always wanted to solve?
Or that lifelong passion to create your own business?
Tech-solutions is one of the major tools with which entrepreneurs are breaking through.
Temie Giwa-Tubosun, CEO LifeBank recently won a $250,000 Jack Ma Foundation grant by using a tech-based approach to bridge the gap between blood banks and patients. Learning programming can also equip you with the skills required to create that product or solution you so desire.
5. Programming improves problem-solving skills
The main goal of programming is solving problems using codes. As a programmer, your daily task is simply coming up with a line of codes that helps a computer understand and solve a problem.
This improves your cognitive prowess and substantially helps you in solving day-to-day life challenges.
6. Programming is lucrative
As espoused above, automation and Big Data will be the game changers in the 2020s. This means programming jobs will increase exponentially within the decade. Stats from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show that programming jobs are projected to grow by 21% from 2018 – 2028, way faster than the average for all other occupations.
Things look good on the homefront too. In Nigeria, the GDP contribution of the ICT sector (13.8%) is expected to double that of the Oil and Gas sector (8.8%) in the next 2 years. There is little to no chance that there will be job scarcity in the programming industry in the nearest future.
Programming jobs listed on indeed.co in select countries (2018)
Image Credit: houseofbots.com
7. You can be a freelancer
If you are not the 8 to 4 or 9 to 5 type, a career in programming is something you should give strong consideration. It is arguably the best paying freelance job in the world. According to CNBC, programming-related jobs take up 4 slots of the top 10 high-paying freelance jobs for 2020 while they take the top 2 on Invoicely’s list.
A Computer Programmer’s average annual salary peaks at $121,000 in the US, £57,500 in the UK, $52,000 in China, $77,000 in Australia, and $22,500 in South Africa.
“Aside that, freelancing gives you flexibility and independence as you can work whenever and wherever you want.”
8. Continuous learning
The world of a programmer is characterized by constant learning and improvement. From basic markup languages like HTML to high-level languages like Python and Java, you have to continually keep tabs with the latest developments in the industry.
Also, as technology evolves, newer codes and algorithms evolve too. If you want to stay top of the game, you need to learn frameworks like React, Django, Laravel e.t.c and continually learn in-vogue frameworks that may come up in the future.
This list is by no means exhaustive, but for brevity, we have restricted this post to the eight points enumerated above. Join the discussion and tell us other reasons you’d like to suggest in the comments section.
