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My name is Rhys, a first time dad blogging about my adventures and experiences of being a parent. [email protected]

What methods of learning are available for a wannabe coder?

Many people still don’t fully understand what coding is, let alone what it can be used for. Here we will discuss how learning programming can positively impact your professional and personal growth and how you can learn to code in Wales.

Endless Possibilities

Most people think that coding is about learning a programming language and then being able to write lines of code. But it is more than just code, and it means breaking the problem down into the parts you need to solve before arriving at a final resolution is much easier. By means of what are called algorithms: they are used to define a series of instructions to solve a problem. Programming requires you to update your technical skills constantly. It could be the ideal job, allowing you to learn new things every day, as well as being rewarding.

The most obvious reason to learn to code is to boost your career by being better prepared for the job market. Expand your career by learning a new skill with endless possibilities for the future. Adapting to the increasingly digital world is necessary to not miss out on this new skill. Current and constantly advancing technology includes machine learning, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous cars, etc., which means that automation of jobs will eliminate several professions in the near future. However, the opportunities are abundant for coding, with companies worldwide looking for people with good programming skills. The demands are very diverse and include improving the quality of a website, developing mobile applications, creating a business interface, and solving cybersecurity problems, just to name a few. There are more and more jobs and not enough qualified people on the digital market. On the financial side, you can gain access to an excellent wage and a stable job thanks to your coding skills.

Keep in mind that coding is not a skill reserved only for those who wish to become developers. Whether you are employed or work as a freelancer, learning to code will be a precious asset for many careers and help you better understand future technologies and their uses. Coding will become more relevant to us all, including for data analysis, which is used for any online service or business. For example, fraud analytics is becoming an increasingly necessary tool to detect and prevent fraud at scale automatically. Many resources are available to learn code for data analysis online, with some free courses available with The Open University, for example.

You will see that learning to code can help you develop your creativity further and allow you to see new ways of expressing yourself. Imagine how this new skill can bring previously unthinkable ideas and solutions to life. One of the most valuable things with this skill is a new way of thinking and seeing the world. Once you learn the basics of coding, you can see how easy it will be to do many things quickly through task automation. Using your coding skills, you will be able to focus on the important things because you will be much more efficient in your work. Almost everything we do today depends on an algorithm. It has therefore become necessary to understand how it works.

As far as your career is concerned, knowing how to code can be a significant advantage from a professional point of view. Even if you already have a job and are looking for a side hustle, having coding skills will make it easy. Working as a freelancer is one of the most significant advantages of knowing how to code. Being a freelance developer allows you to take your work wherever you go. The freedom to manage your time, to work when you want and where you want.

Learning to Code in Wales

Are you already a developer and want to learn more? Or maybe you’re just starting and want to create your web or mobile development business? As we’ve already seen, learning to code can boost your career and get you into a professional environment full of opportunities.

You don’t need to be a genius to learn to code, but that doesn’t mean that coding is for everyone. Whether you are leaving school or starting a new career, it requires an investment of time and effort. The first thing you need to do, especially if you know nothing about programming, is to learn the basics and see if you like it. With an online course, it is possible to learn programming fundamentals and start coding yourself. This will first help you to determine whether you like it or not. Then, try to learn as much as possible about being a developer and the advantages and disadvantages.

Some of the most popular online coding resources to check out are Code.org, Codecademy, and Khan Academy, which can give you the start you need at the beginning of your coding journey. In 2015, the Minister for Education and Skills for Wales announced the development of the Digital Competence Framework, which began in 2016, to create, design and provide digital services, including popular coding sessions. The initiative strives to boost people’s confidence and skills by promoting digital technology and emphasising the importance of incorporating coding into early education.

You can also take a blended online and classroom course with Pitman Training England, either full-time or part-time. Students who have completed this type of programme have found placements for positions in web development that include frontend web developer, HTML/CSS developer, JavaScript and UI/UX, developer.

Why not look into taking a postgraduate course, like the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering at Bangor University or the Computer Science programme at Swansea University? You will be trained in computational science, working on challenges that will transform the community and the economy, and have opportunities to work with world-class partners like Google and Microsoft. There are also scholarship opportunities to study at a university in Wales.

There are clearly many advantages to taking a course and pursuing a career in coding, so why not check out a course in Wales now?