5 Reasons You Should Learn to "Code"

Today I ran across a Forbes article titled “4 Reasons Not To Learn To Code”, seeking to answer whether or not it is “worth the effort, let alone the money, to learn to code”.  As a seasoned Data Analyst and aspiring Data Scientist, who relies heavily on SQL in her daily work, I was surprised to learn the author decided to take the “opposition” side. Although she made some interesting points, I found her tone pessimistic, particularly considering the high demand for analytical and data science jobs, that require some coding experience.  To be fair, the article was written last summer, so perhaps the writer has changed her mind. 

Not to be outdone, I'd like to share five reasons why I think it’s important to learn to code, in the likely event you will need to know how to pull and work with data in your role as a Data Scientist.

Reason 1: It’s not that hard to learn.

All programming languages have at their root a set of basic syntax. Take SQL for example. I knew nothing about SQL and had never written a line of code when I started my first job as an analyst, but thanks to the help of a colleague, I was able to get a basic grasp of the language very quickly. Granted, I’m not an expert in SQL, but when I look at where I am now, compared to 12 years ago, and I think about how often I’ve used it and what I’ve learned in the process, I can’t imagine what my career would be like had I not taken the plunge. The key is applying what you learn and constantly striving to improve your skills.

Reason 2: There are plenty of resources.

For curiosity sake, I did a Google search using the words “learn SQL”, and it came back with 191 M results. Now, I don’t expect you to go through the entire list, so I’ll make some recommendations for where to start. Of course, there are popular sites like Codecademy and Datacamp, but YouTube is a gold mine! I would recommend beginning there to get a basic “feel” for it. It’s also a great place to check out other coding languages like Python and R. Once you’ve gotten more comfortable, you’ll be in a better position to make an educated decision about next steps and/or whether or not you should pay to take a course from those already mentioned.

Reason 3:  You can pull your own data.

In every company I’ve worked, there are those with access to the company’s data and those without.  More often than not, the latter are often at the mercy of the former, which can cause frustration and delay.  If you have the ability to pull your own data, you can bypass the bottleneck and get your work done faster, not to mention being closer to the data helps you understand the business (e.g., “domain knowledge”) and tell better stories with the data.

Reason 4: To differentiate yourself / job security.

According to a study by the McKinsey Global Institute, between 400 M and 800 M jobs will be automated by 2030. So, who is going to “train” all the robots? If you answered “Data Scientists” or those schooled in “AI” and/or “Machine Learning”, you’re correct! But machines don’t learn the same way we do. They have to be programmed using, you guessed it – code. Forbes lists “Coding [and engineering experience]” as the 8th highest in demand tech skill for 2018, behind “Data Science”, coming in at #3. And the website Glassdoor has “data collection and analysis” as #1 on their list of “hard skills” needed to help your resume stand out.

Reason 5: It’s fun!

I saved the best reason for last! I know what you’re saying, “it’s only fun if you’re a geek”. Ok, I admit, I love data and the exploration aspect, to me, is super cool, but if kids are learning how to code, and they enjoy it, why can’t adults get the same fulfillment? Seriously, kids are learning it in school, as we speak. Do you want them to know more than you? Maybe you can even share the experience with your kids like Nic Ryan is doing :).

In short, you don't have to be an aspiring data scientist to learn how to code. With so many different options and affordable resources available today, it's possible for anyone to take advantage of the benefits. Whatever your situation, I hope you’ll take the time to give it a whirl! #EmbraceYourInnerGeek