I do not know about you, but for the last couple of years my emails have been a constant badgering forcing me to question my career choices. Is artificial intelligence really taking over? Will I lose my job to machines? Is coding the skill of the future? So many questions. I won’t even get started on the vocabulary used that I didn’t know existed; algorithms, binary, iteration, variables. Python here is a language. Crazy!
Following, I did some research, unfolding the numerous benefits that come with studying how to code, and especially for kids (learning at a young age). It goes without saying that technology is at a fast pace advancing the world. You can access almost everything from the internet now. Look at us learning virtually, something unheard of some years ago. According to the World Economic Forum (2016), an estimated 15 to 20 million increasingly well-educated young people are expected to join the African workforce every year for the next three decades.
Delivering the quality jobs to match in order to fully leverage the continent’s demographic opportunity is set to be one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s defining challenges over the coming years. It has been estimated that, from a technological standpoint, 41% of all work activities in South Africa are susceptible to automation, as are 44% in Ethiopia, 46% in Nigeria, 48% in Mauritius, 52% in Kenya and 53% in Angola.
This only proves the point that yes, coding and programming plays a big role in the future of jobs, and yes, AI through automation will render some jobs out of the market in the coming years. Not to worry though, as this also comes with new and exciting opportunities that we and our children alike can delve into and such careers as , computer scientists.
Top of the advantages list has to be the lucrative jobs that come with the mastery of the skill and its application in real life. It is projected to create a wide range of new jobs in fields such as STEM, data analysis and engineering. There will be strong demand for professionals who can blend digital and STEM skills with traditional subject expertise, such as digital-mechanical engineers and business operations data analysts, who combine deep knowledge of their industry with the latest analytical tools to quickly adapt business strategies.
You can be witness to the fact that some of the best paying jobs in this time and age are as a result of coding/ programming. The earlier we indulge our children in this wave, the better it will be for them. Programming contributes to cognitive development as well. In addition, learning how to code expands the minds of learners. They are exposed to much more than Maths and logic. That is; language which is employed, creativity and it improves on memory too. Coding keeps the brain healthy.
More benefits include learning how to solve problems as the learners are able to simplify complex problems. This can be applied in their daily lives as well. They learn how to collaborate when working together, it promotes resilience and independence and it can serve as a media for creative expression for learners. All this can be applied in areas in real life.Important to note too that these are changing times. The coding (language) used today is different from that used yesterday and tomorrow. Therefore, it is advisable to enroll your children in programs that are well-able and competent in these matters. Programs curated for advancements and are aware of the outside environment to keep up with these changes and grow the brain.
Below are some resources that you can use to get started: