I’m busy with school. Why learn Python?

Mar 25 / Daniel Leuck
We understand. High school can be a stressful time with mountains of homework and prepping for exams. Every minute is valuable. Why spend precious free time learning Python? In short, programming can enhance your abilities in your existing subjects and provide new skills that make you more competitive at school and work. Python is a good choice for programming because its syntax is easy to learn while simultaneously being capable of heavy lifting. It’s popular in many fields ranging from education and finance to medical research and meteorology. Google, Yahoo, Amazon and Facebook use Python.
Around the world, programming is becoming a core subject. Why? Because no other subject can simultaneously teach math, logic, engineering, problem solving, creative thinking, collaboration, communication and user experience design. Schools and employers are increasingly aware of these facts. Even if programming is not the primary focus of your major or future job, having Python competency can make you more productive as a trader, biologist or professor.

Career Opportunities

Python skills can unlock a vast array of career opportunities. The demand for skilled developers, and professionals who pair another skill with programming, is at an all-time high. This demand spans across industries beyond the traditional tech companies, including healthcare, finance, education, and entertainment, indicating the universal applicability of programming skills. Python is used heavily in popular fields such as web development, data science, artificial intelligence, meteorology and algorithmic trading. 

Cognitive Benefits

Learning Python, and programming in general, is akin to learning a natural language like French or Mandarin. It gives your mind a wider lens and a new way of thinking. Programming also fosters logical thinking and problem-solving skills as programmers must often deconstruct complex problems into smaller, manageable components and use logic to solve them. The trial-and-error nature of coding teaches resilience and the understanding that failure is merely a step towards improvement and success.

Creativity & Problem-Solving Skills

Coding is essentially about creating something new or making an existing process or system better. Whether it's a website, an application, or a data model. Programmers must often think outside the box to find innovative solutions to challenging problems or to make a piece of code more efficient or effective. This blend of logical and creative thinking enhances problem-solving skills, making programmers adept at tackling complex issues in a structured yet innovative manner.

The Joy of Creation & Enhancing Community

One of the most rewarding aspects of programming is seeing your ideas spring to life. The joy of building something from scratch, whether it’s a simple website or a complex application, is unparalleled. This sense of accomplishment and the ability to create tangible solutions to real-world problems provides a profound sense of satisfaction. Additionally, the Python community is renowned for its collaborative nature. Online forums, coding bootcamps, and hackathons provide ample opportunities for learners to connect, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects, making the learning process not just educational but also socially enriching.

Democratization of Technology

Anyone with a computer or tablet can program in Python. By making the skills and knowledge to create and manipulate technology widely accessible, we empower individuals and communities to develop solutions tailored to their unique needs and challenges. This empowerment can lead to innovative applications that address local issues, promote social justice, and drive grassroots change, illustrating the profound societal impact of widespread programming literacy.

A Bright Future

Python is always evolving. In addition to the core language adding new features and optimizations, a new favor of Python has emerged called Mojo (currently in beta), which is specifically designed for data science and AI. It runs 68,000X faster than standard Python and is likely to attract a lot of industry attention. 

Conclusion

The benefits of learning to program extend far beyond the ability to write code. It is about adopting a new way of thinking, solving problems, expressing creativity, and understanding the digital world at a fundamental level. At Fukushima Larry we are excited to have the opportunity to get you started on your journey.

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