In today’s day and age, technology is where you can learn skills in as little as three months and come out with a job that pays more than most professions that require a bachelor’s degree. As of today, there are approximately 500,000 job vacancies according to Code.Org, an online learning platform geared towards teaching coding to children. Did you notice that word, vacancy? Those are the leftovers, the ones that are not being filled due to a lack of workforce with the necessary skills to fill them. More and more employers are announcing that most applicants do not have the technical skills needed to meet company goals and propel growth. Perhaps you can be one of the people to meet that demand!
Unfortunately, our education system is lagging when it comes to teaching our students computer science which is hindering them from learning about the magnitude of opportunities in the tech industry. According to Code.org, only 40% of schools are offering any type of computer science education. Luckily, the White House passed a memorandum on September 25th, 2017 that promises to address the need by allocating $200 million to increase access to computer science education. Two days following this, large tech firms, such as Google, Amazon and many others allocated a total of $300 million to increase computer science education. That is how important tech is for the future of the economy and growth. It is great news as the U.S. is far behind many other countries who teach their students computer science at a young age. Virtually every company is turning into some form of a tech company whether they are using online platforms to automate processes and increase efficiency or they are going completely digital to lower overhead costs. Regardless of the company or role, learning technical skills is valuable to any position and could help you earn higher wages and enjoy more job security.
So, let’s get into how you can start learning skills right away to make money remotely and even turn your skills into your very own business. Below is a just a small list, from Skillcrush.com, of jobs that are in high demand now:
Web Design – 61K +
Digital Marketing – 68K +
Web Developer – 76K +
Specialized Programming Language -100K +
Skillcrush – They have “blueprints” based on which type of job you are looking for. The platform is extremely user-friendly and the online support is phenomenal. The price is relatively low compared to traditional coding “bootcamps.” www.skillcrush.com
Udacity – This platform has free and paid courses that range from learning digital marketing to building self-driving cars and even virtual reality. The beauty of this platform is that you can learn skills in the free courses and then take the more challenging courses as you progress. www.udacity.com
Solo Learn – This company offers multiple applications that allow you to learn anywhere, anytime and for free. There are numerous languages that you can learn through a step-by-step process that is similar to playing a game. So for all those who like to play games on social media, you will love this. www.sololearn.com
W3schools.com – Great site that does not have a traditional learning platform, but offers free tutorials in the most common programming languages with built-in editors that allow you to test out what you are learning! www.w3schools.com
The most common programs to start off with are typically HTML and CSS, which are your website building tools. Then Javascript which makes the websites interactive. Check out the sites above or research the many others available and start learning today!
Remember, any investment in yourself is the ultimate investment you can make because you will not only better yourself but uplift those around you as well!
