When a child finishes middle school and gets ready to go to high school, parents’ perspectives shift in very predictable ways.
That shift in perspective results in regret about one thing. Something they wish they had done while their child was still in middle school. You don’t want to have the same regret.
Up until middle school, you were focused on your child’s overall growth. As long as they were staying out of trouble, learning, growing and enjoying themselves, you were good.
But when they enter high school, you start thinking about things differently. You view and evaluate everything with their future in mind.
- Will their interest and skills translate into something valuable for a good career?
- Do they have unique skills and experiences to make them look good in college applications?
- Do they have exposure to emerging skills to excel in their chosen field of study in college?
Viewed from that lens, many parents realize something: Many of the activities their child spent time while in middle school didn’t translate into concrete and impressive things they can highlight in a college application.
That realization drives parents to look for opportunities for their child to acquire skills that satisfy a very different set of considerations.
Skills that will make them standout in college applications.
Skills that will give them in edge in college and career.
Skills that are sought after in the future workforce.
More and more parents are zeroing in on the most sought after skill of the future: Coding.
But, why?
As technology enters every aspect of modern life, they see how it is changing every field. From biology to entertainment to agriculture to art. There is no field untouched by technology.
Working in any field now requires an understanding of code. GE recently announced that every new employee must know how to code, regardless of their job. Even those who join as accountants.
Some of the most valuable companies emerging today are all driven by software – Uber, Airbnb, Facebook, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Slack, Instacart. If their child has an idea and wants to bring it to life, like the founders of these companies did, they need to know how to code.
From a practical level, getting a job in any field is much easier with a coding skill set. Computing jobs are the #1 source of new wages in the United States. There are 500,000 open, unfilled computing jobs. They are in every state and in every industry. And, they are growing at twice the rate of other jobs.
Parents explore a bit and understand that learning to code is neither quick nor easy. It is like learning a new language or an instrument. They need to take formal classes. They need to spend time practising it so the skills will stick. Both requires time.
With high school course load, trying to take on learning to code is going to be a challenge for their child. That’s when they realize this…
Their child should have learned to code while in middle school.
They had missed the boat. And they regret it.
If your child is still in middle school, seriously consider a coding program for them. Before those middle school years disappear, see if you can encourage them to acquire this skill.
CodeWizardsHQ’s mission is to prepare your child for college and career success by teaching them the skill of coding. Find out more about our program and see if it is right for your child.
