Over the next fifty years, your child will hear one consistent question throughout their working life, “Can you code?” It’s that simple. Can you type? Became Do you know your way around a computer? Became Can you code?
The ability to code has gone from novelty to necessity, as what was once considered an elective in school is quickly becoming a requirement. Meanwhile, tech is today’s fastest-growing job market.
However, for the supply to meet the demand, America has major hurdles to jump. A recent Washington Post article discusses the record decline in national academic achievement, pinpointing the problem to two major fronts.
As you may have expected, one is the significant drop in national test scores, regressing to where they were twenty years ago. The other is a noticeable increase in educational inequity, with lower scores in districts with greater poverty.
Taking into account the time lost to the pandemic, one solution being talked about is emphasizing learning in smaller groups or even one-on-one. However, this kind of tutoring will require significant federal funding.
As a country, it’s imperative that we close the skills gap. So to get the next generation up to speed, it’s critical that the entire community gets involved—not just the schools—to raise money.
The strength of the U.S. economy depends on helping students learn how to code—now. To meet the demand for jobs requiring technical skills, we need to democratize coding and guarantee access to coding instruction for all kids.
At Tynker, we’re opening up new worlds for students from every walk of life. In a recent press release, Tynker CEO and Co-Founder, Srinivas Mandyam stated:
It’s increasingly essential that every child develops coding skills to meet the demands of the digital economy over the next decade.
Tynker CEO and Co-Founder, Srinivas Mandyam
Computer programming and technology are the hammer and nails of this century. And what we’ve found at Tynker is the importance of working together, whether in-person or remotely, sharing ideas, building off other coder’s projects, and inspiring each other to push what’s possible without limitations.
Tech is growing exponentially, but that doesn’t mean your child is destined to sit behind a desk all day. They can get their hands dirty too. Even traditional businesses like farming are relying on technology when it comes to finding better seeds, soil, pesticides, water systems, lighting, and more. That’s a lot of code!
The ability to code will transform your child from consumer to creator. Playing video games is fine, but what if your child could make them? What if they could take something they’re interested in and combine it with technology, maybe even make a career out of it?
Going forward, coding will remain part of everyday life, from your coffee maker to your car, while also being a prime catalyst in global projects like addressing climate change and the search for habitable planets.
All these technological advances are written in a universal language that everyone can understand, and code. Quite literally, computer programming has become today’s canvas to create.
Tynker teaches code by catering to an individual’s interests in art, app building, music, robotics, drones, game design, web design, and more.
We’re empowering kids of all ages and experience levels to think critically, use their imagination, problem-solve, and become makers.
The right coding platform can foster an environment where your child can explore their curiosity and understand how technology shapes the world around them.
This article first appeared on TYNKER
