Most people understand that the ability to use a piece of software doesn’t equate to the ability to build that piece of software. Using a computer has been an essential skill in the modern workforce for some time, but the ability to make a computer useful by programming it to do what you want is an entirely different skillset. Computer programming is a language and like any language is best learned when you are young. So why aren’t we doing a better job of combining kids and coding – the primary language of the tools that we work with?
Kids and coding: Using technology versus creating technology
The educational system in the U.S. has traditionally been aimed at helping children to utilize technology as opposed to actually creating the tech itself. Although we commonly look to the tech sector as a driving force in American innovation, computer science continues to be marginalized in K-12 education. Here are some interesting statistics from Code.org, one of a handful of organizations that champions improvements in CS education:
- 90% of parents want their child to study computer science.
- Only 40% of schools teach computer programming.
- Only 34 states allow students to count computer science courses toward high school graduation.
- 71% of all new jobs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) are in computing.
- Only 9 states have K-12 CS standards (Florida is one of them by the way!).
As a parent with young children, I want my kids to be adequately prepared to pursue the career of their choice. Considering the current pace of technological advancement shows no signs of slowing, I am convinced that computer science and programming should be a basic literacy for the 21st century.
My programming story
The need for basic programming literacy has proven true in my own experience. After spending over a decade as a musician, designer, and creative, I realized that without additional training, my career options would remain limited. Like many others, I was proficient in using creative and productivity software but struggled to translate my work into the code that builds webpages.
When it was time for a career change, I couldn’t afford the time or money for a traditional education. As a solution, I enrolled in The Iron Yard’s Front-End Engineering course. Their “bootcamp” model offered the right balance of technical training and time investment for my situation. Fortunately, Fulcrum has a strong relationship with The Iron Yard, which introduced me to the company and eventually led to my current role as a designer. HTML, CSS, and Javascript have now become extensions of my foundational tools, like pencils, paper, and Photoshop. Although acquiring these skills marks a major shift in the design industry, the need for basic programming knowledge is growing across many fields.
Creativity, strategy, and kids’ journeys into coding
When it comes to my kids, I am convinced that we’ll all end up working for my seven-year-old daughter someday. She reads more books in a week than I do in a month and pretty handily beats me at strategy games. I tend to spend very little time worrying about her.
My son, on the other hand, has inherited his mother’s extroverted nature and a musical ear from both of us. The creative spark is already very strong in him. As a former musician, I keep a watchful eye on his creative tendencies. When he recently expressed interest in taking a coding class for kids at The Iron Yard, I felt excited but also a bit concerned. I doubted whether his nine-year-old attention span could handle a 90-minute class in front of a computer. More than anything, I worried he might have a bad experience and lose interest in coding altogether.
Despite my concerns, we committed to the six-week course, and to ease my helicopter-parent tendencies, I signed on as a Teacher’s Assistant. I’m happy to say he graduated with flying colors, and more importantly, he remains excited about coding. He even started another coding and robotics course at our local library. While he may still end up as a musician, at least he’ll have the skills to support himself as a developer.
Bridging the talent gap
As a SaaS product, Fulcrum is fundamentally dependent on the creativity and ingenuity of its software developers. Finding and keeping talented people is key to our success and is definitely part of our long-term strategy. Unfortunately for companies like ours, the demand for high-quality developers is growing much faster than the current educational system is able to fill.
For example, in Florida, we have 2,486 computer science graduates but 22,044 open computing jobs available. This creates 8.86 job opportunities for every graduate, which is 3.8 times higher than the average state rate. Florida’s appeal as a desirable place to live adds to the good news for computer science grads. It should also entice those considering a career in computing. While Florida’s gap is unique, the national figures show a similar trend across the country. Last year, 42,969 computer science graduates entered a workforce with 521,444 open jobs. That means 12 jobs for every graduate nationwide.
These statistics create excellent opportunities for those entering the computing field. But what does it mean for employers like Fulcrum? We invest in employees with competitive compensation and a great company culture. However, long-term sustainability requires us to also grow the supply of new developers. We support this by investing in K-12 computer science education and grassroots programs. Initiatives like The Iron Yard’s free kids coding classes help develop the next generation of talent.
What you can do to encourage kids with technology
However, even if you aren’t a business owner, you can still help.
First, if you consider yourself not technically inclined or even intimidated by technology, start by learning with a child. Grab a piece of humble pie, find a child who needs mentoring, and explore technology together. There’s no better way to learn than through the eyes of a child. Even if you don’t plan to acquire new skills, it helps kids to have an advocate who can ask the questions they can’t articulate yet.
Second, if you already have technical skills, take time to invest in your local developer community, especially the younger members. Developers are great at sharing knowledge with peers who understand their language, but we can improve at mentoring beginners. Even if done for self-interest as a resume booster, the time invested will yield exponential returns professionally and personally. We can all agree that explaining complex ideas to a fourth-grader in a way they understand is a true mark of intelligence we should all admire.
Links: