When thinking about what new skill to learn or a career change, have you ever thought about coding?
Every day we all visit websites and use different apps – these are all built by using code. Essentially, code is a set of rules and instructions that we give a computer which bridges the gap between human language and computer language.
Everyone can learn to code – you really don’t need to be a math genius or a ‘bro’ wearing a hoodie. These are just outdated stereotypes, in fact, women were actually the original pioneers of tech.
All you need is a motivation to learn and time to practice. You’ll be able to use skills you’ve developed in previous jobs and other experiences to help you- like problem-solving, basic math, an eye for detail, and the ability to Google!
For the past two and a half years, 23 Code Street has been teaching women how to code. For every paying student, they teach digital skills to a disadvantaged woman in India. They run part-time web development courses for beginners which include an internship so students can get hands-on work experience. Below they’ve rounded up their top reasons to start coding:
Learn an in-demand skill
Due to the digital skills gap, employers are constantly looking to hire people with a technical understanding. As our world becomes more and more digital, the number of technical jobs needing to be filled is increasing. This report found that there are over seven million jobs which require coding skills, and programming jobs, overall, are growing 12 per cent faster than the market average.
23 Code Street graduates have gone on to work as developers, been promoted as a result of their new tech skills and even become coding teachers. Natalja, a freelance graphic designer, completed their course last year and now works as a teaching assistant for the school.
Say goodbye to the 9-5
Coding can be part of a great flexible career and help you be in control of your own work/life balance. Many coding jobs can be done remotely at hours that suit you. You can work for a company, be a freelancer, or use coding as a way to up-skill in your current profession. Kelly is a mum of two boys and wanted to learn to code to be able to work alongside tech teams with confidence and work flexibly around her children- you can read her blog here.
Enjoy a rewarding career
At first, learning to code may seem daunting, a bit like learning a new language, but you’ll soon start to realise how it all pieces together and that is a hugely rewarding feeling.
You can’t help but feel proud after you’ve built your first proper web page- something you’ve written, now lives online! The tweet below was from Iqra who received a scholarship as part of 23 Code Street x Amaliah’s to learn to code scholarship.
Feel empowered and empower other women
Tech is seriously lacking women. Globally 88 per cent of developers are men; this is having a huge impact on innovation and the products and services being released- for example, Apple released a health app without a period tracker on. By learning to code, you ’ll be helping create a more gender-balanced tech industry, smashing gender stereotypes and inspiring next generation of girls to work in tech.
Interested in learning to code? Find out more about 23 Code’s Street next Web Development Foundation starting on the 14th March here.
