By Arun Chinnachamy
In many ways, the future is already here. The proof there lies in the rapid growth that the world of coding and programming has seen. This has been a testament to visionaries in this field who have undertaken coding and programming, not just as a career, but as a passion!
Did you know, the first binary program was not on a computer? Basile Buchon, a textile worker in France, is believed to be the first person to use non-computer based code to make his work simpler. This was back in 1725. He invented a loom that wove patterns based on the holes in the paper that was punched. This resulted in the partial automation of an otherwise tedious process involved in manually lifting parts of the loom to create weaves. This development was considered to be the first industrial application of a semi-automated machine. So how did it work? Basically, in coding terms, a punched hole was 1 and the absence of the hole was 0. We have, of course, come a long way from there – but the basic foundation of coding remains the same.
In the last decade, we have seen exponential growth in consumer technology available to us. We can get food delivered to our home in 10 minutes, can connect with loved ones miles away, and can watch any movie from the comfort of our home, all thanks to creators around the world. This has given birth to a highly connected digital world and technology is now ingrained in our lives more than we realize!
So, why and how has coding gained so much momentum over the years?
Look around you – technology is everywhere, permeating every part of our life, from asking virtual voice assistants like Alexa and Google Echo all kinds of questions, to watching the next big space launch on TV. It’s obvious that the world of coding has taken on a new persona of its own. Naturally, this has given rise to an explosion in the number of coding languages and platforms, such as Scratch, Roblox, Thunkable, around the world.
This demand has been created by the increase of “tech” companies in the world. 91% respondents in the Dimensional Research Companies feel that there has been a drastic increase in “tech” companies throughout the world; even companies that were not considered tech a decade ago. Different industries, be it education, food & beverage, retail and even travel have started developing their own apps and software solutions.
This along with factors like product innovation, AI integration, virtual experiences, and even digital currency transactions, has aggressively increased the demand and need for coding.
Why is technology a next-gen skill?
Like a living and breathing organism, technology is also evolving rapidly in our world. Look at the advancements in Artificial intelligence and Machine learning. Now computers can play chess with humans (also win over us), self-drive cars in our streets, learn from their environment, and adapt to them. Software is transforming every industry, like banking, education, manufacturing, and medicine among others. For example, using computer modeling, vaccines for COVID-19 were developed in a record time of 12 months which was not possible a few years ago.
This paradigm shift has created the demand for highly skilled computer programmers and researchers who can disrupt the industries using technology. This demand is only going to accelerate in the future. This will result in many jobs being fully automated through robotics but will create millions of jobs around creating, maintaining, and improving these automated systems.
Why kids need to be trained in coding
Learning to code as a child does not mean one has to aspire to a tech career. By being trained in the thought process and paradigm, many avenues open up – game design, UI/UX design, Robotics, manufacturing, video game development… the list is endless. But more important than all of this is that coding is a skill that makes a child ready for a future that is going to be driven by technology.
When children learn to code, it challenges them, helps build their resilience, and creates neural pathways which help them in real-life problem-solving. Coding isn’t a skill to learn just for the sake of making money or learning it, It teaches children how to think, adapt and solve problems in real life.
If software is becoming such an integral part of our world, isn’t it a necessity to teach children to embrace and use coding, rather than be ignorant of it? After all, today’s children are the pioneers of tomorrow’s world!
The author is the chief technology officer at BrightCHAMPS.
