Coding a digital-ready community
COMPARABLE to writing poems, coding can be seen as an art form in itself.
Coding or computer programming is a process of writing code in programming languages such as Python, Java, Structured Query Language ( SQL) and C++ to instruct computers to perform a function, thus making it possible to create computer software, apps and websites.
From the apps on your phone and the countless websites you visit every day, all were created through coding.
However, while most of us are users of software and technologies, how many of us actually understand how they all work let alone create them?
As Sarawak is now heading towards a digital economy, coding and computer literacy can be seen as the key drivers in preparing the state’s youths into becoming digital- savvy individuals to fuel the needs of the industries in the digital ecosystem.
In some parts of the world, countries such as the United Kingdom, Italy and Finland are incorporating coding as part of the curriculum in schools.
In Malaysia, the Coding@ Schools programme is seen as vital for students in the national school curriculum and institutions of higher learning as it encourages creative thinking and will enable students to benefit from the digital economy in the near future.
Coding incorporates computational thinking by encouraging youths to approach problems through analytical and structured ways, thus nurturing their problem-solving and logical thinking skills as well as forming a creative and innovative mindset.
It is an essential skill to empower students so that they might one day become creators in contributing towards the digital economy and not just consumers in the digital ecosystem, especially since the prospects in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics ( STEM) field are expected to expand globally.
For information technology ( IT) related fields, among the professions that require coding skills are software applications developers, computer systems analysts, web developers, computer programmers and computer systems engineers.
However, graduates outside the IT field with the knowledge and skills in coding will also find themselves in a favourable position to score employment opportunities, particularly in the tech industry.
While some of you may not end up becoming programmers or web developers, it is nevertheless an essential skill that can be applied to multiple areas and not just limited to computer science alone.
For example, entrepreneurs might find it useful as it presents countless opportunities by offering innovative services that can be customised to various clients’ needs.
And as more and more youths actively engage themselves in the digital ecosystem, coding should be encouraged and promoted even more, as it is one of the basic and indispensable skills to prepare a digital economy-ready community in Sarawak.
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (Azam) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.