Latin America. Humans have created languages to communicate better. From the hieroglyphs of the Egyptians to the classical Latin of ancient Rome, languages have evolved and become the recognizable languages we know today. Fast forward to the twenty-first century and the language that is becoming increasingly popular is that of zeros and ones, of exclamation points. The name of that language? Code.
Are you reading this on a cell phone, tablet or computer? Did you walk into a desk this morning or used a security pass to enter your building? Do you regularly talk to colleagues and clients through video conferencing? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," you're indirectly using the code every day. Every machine or device we use depends on coding somewhere, and with roles becoming more digitized, most of us would struggle to do our job without this language.
Beyond the world of work, code is being used to change lives around the world. IBM hosted a challenge in 2019 called "Call for Code" that invited developers to create technical solutions to natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes and wildfires, using coding in an open-source environment to solve complex real-world problems. Coding isn't just the future of work, it's the future of the world we live in.
According to data from the consulting firm Gartner, connected "things" (such as cell phones, tablets and smart watches) will far exceed the world's population by 2020, with the expectation that they will have more than 20 billion devices in use. It makes sense, then, to try to understand the most widely used languages on the planet: our devices. Then, we can better connect, teach, and improve your reach.
Code skills will help us live with technology.
It is common to think that coding is an activity reserved for technicians or mathematicians, a privilege for a few. The thing is, as the world of work changes and more roles and tasks are automated, it's worth upgrading and training for the future. According to the consultancy McKinsey, artificial intelligence and automation will transform nature and workplaces. They predict that machines will be able to carry out more repetitive tasks performed by humans and, as a result, some occupations will decrease or change, while others will grow.
In this same report, it is suggested that there will still be enough work for everyone (because technology will create new jobs and change others), but the workforce must adapt to these changes and learn new skills. This workforce will need to learn to coexist with increasingly capable machines and what better way to do that than to learn the languages that control those machines? Even if a robot took over the administrator or repetitive parts of a customer service role (freeing them up to perform more valuable tasks), that technology still needs someone to write the code that powers it. Someone who modifies it and guarantees continuous improvement.
This future of technology doesn't mean a death blow to the workforce: it simply emphasizes the need to learn new skills and consider where technology will play a role alongside your current skill set in the next 5, 10, or 15 years. Once you know how your role can change, you can learn the skills that will keep you competitive in the job market.
Why you should learn to code, even if it's not your job
According to a PWC study, 74% of workers are willing to learn new skills or retrain themselves completely in the future. The thing is, these skills are useful regardless of your current role. While coding is a highly sought-after skill for businesses of all sizes, it's also an incredibly life-saving ability, especially if you're a freelancer or contractor. Not only will you be able to create your own website, but you'll also be able to automate tasks that might otherwise cause considerable time wasting.
Tasks such as data entry or answering easy-to-answer questions from a customer can be delivered to software, as long as it is coded correctly. Even the most basic knowledge is useful. Why wait for a member of the technical team to contact you when you can make small adjustments and changes and move on to the next task quickly and efficiently?
As of 2019, it's never been easier to learn to code. It is now available to everyone. There are plenty of free resources online, but if you want to advance to another level, companies like Le Wagon can empower you to take on multiple coding challenges in as little as three months.
The key is to learn the code language. Whether you're running a business or working for one, the key skills you'll learn will prepare you for the future. So the next time you think about learning a new language, immersing yourself in phrases and grammar, choose coding, and communicate in the most global language.
Text written by Carlos Popoca, Manager for the IT division of Hays Mexico.
