5 Reasons why you should learn Programming

Introduction

Many of us interact with software on a daily basis and often don't even notice it.

Almost every electronic device needs some software to work. But I want to focus particularly on mobile devices.

They allow you to do a lot of things, like ordering food, taking pictures of your pet, watching videos and so on.

Your smartphone and its applications do not run by themselves, there are millions of lines of source code behind them, written by thousands of software developers around the world.

These must be maintained and updated with new features and improvements every day.

Did you know that there are not enough developers to meet the demand?

First world countries are very complicated by the high employee turnover, as they cannot retain their most experienced developers, because they are being offered better conditions in other companies.

So they are forced to hire junior developers and invest time and money in them, so that they can produce software that meets the standards that these companies and their products require.

You can be a programmer too, no matter what stage of your life you are in, in my opinion, anyone can learn to program. For this main reason I want to share with you these reasons why you should learn to program today.

1. You don't need a university degree.

I'll be honest with you, you don't need an academic degree to be a developer, in fact, nowadays, companies are more open to hire developers who demonstrate skills in certain technologies without even having an academic degree.

You just have to demonstrate your programming skills, such as a mini-project or some programming challenges. And if you pass the technical and personal interviews, you're in.

But of course, if you have technical or university studies, you will have it much easier.

If you are planning to start a career in computer engineering, I would recommend you to take an online programming course, so you can get a clearer idea of what this career is all about. Since usually in engineering you are going to be hit hard with the sciences at the beginning.

2. Attractive salary.

In general, companies pay salaries according to the level of the developer. For example, in the United States the lowest salary for a software developer is from USD 84,000 per year and the average is around USD 110,000 per year according to data provided to date by usnews.com.

3. Work from wherever you want.

It is well known that technology companies, especially startups are offering flexibilities and advantages to their employees such as working at home or from wherever you want, you can even work in companies in other countries where they pay your salary in dollars or euros.

This is very beneficial for both parties if you live in a Latin American country for example, since these companies could pay you a standard programmer salary in a developed country, but the conversion to your local currency would allow you to live very comfortably in your own country.

4. Flexible hours.

Many programmers work flexible hours and all they need is a laptop and internet. In general, companies usually set a couple of fixed hours where the equipment is required for work or collaborative meetings.

These companies are not very interested in where you do your work from or at what time, they are more interested in having your work ready according to the team's schedule.

This type of work will allow you to balance your personal life with your work, but you must always keep in mind that you must be disciplined with your work and dedicate the necessary time to complete your tasks.

5. Have valuable skills on your resume.

Programming is a very desirable skill for companies, as much of our world is automated and online which opens up many business possibilities.

For example, if you are a biologist and work for a laboratory, knowing how to program could allow you to participate in the development of scientific applications for your company.

The most common skills that effective programmers develop are:

• Proficiency in at least one programming language.
• Problem solving, logic and critical thinking skills.
• Attention to detail and focus.
• Effective communicators
• Self-taught and constantly learning.

Conclusion

When I started studying computer science, I had no idea what it was all about. In fact, was a friend of mine who recommended me to study this career and I enrolled without even knowing how to use the computer well.

At first I was frustrated, but when I managed to make things work, I felt such a great satisfaction that made me get more and more hooked.

I believe that today is the time to encourage other people who are in the same situation I was in more than 15 years ago, to start in this wonderful world of software programming.