Summer of Code: Why Kids Still Aren’t Programming
This is a guest post by Prianna Pathak, Bloc’s marketing intern and recent Bryn Mawr College alum.
Refresher: There’s a Skills Gap and It’s Getting Bigger
We all know the economy stinks. And we know how tough it is to find a job. But did you know that even for college grads, the underemployment rate is now 44%, and the unemployment rate for young grads is almost double that of average college-educated person? Meaning that 44% of recent college grads who want to work full-time and actually get paid, can’t.
Why Kids Should Learn to Code
Some people claim that even though the economy has recovered, it has been a jobless recovery — with simply no new jobs being created. Meanwhile, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, tech is one of the fastest growing industries.
Last year Code.org released a study showing a widening gap between the number of tech jobs available and the number of newly-minted computer science grads filling those openings. The study found that even among these students, there was still a big gap between the in-demand jobs, and what students were choosing to study.
Why Aren’t We All Studying Comp-Sci?
It’s a reasonable question. The Social Network came out in 2010, glorifying the hero-programmer against the business-savvy Winkelvoss twins. That should have been plenty of time for the college class of 2014 to re-think their path. Yet the ranks of business majors continue to swell, while programming continues to decline. So why didn’t we switch majors?
It seems there are several reasons. Some cite the lack of K-12 funding for computer equipment to prepare students for these careers. But what about college students? Some said there’s a stigma against computer science and coding. In an interview I conducted with Jackie, a currently underemployed recent grad, I found students like Jackie shied away from computer science because, “it seemed like learning a new language” that required too much “mental will to learn it.” She believed computer science to be daunting and inaccessible for the “average joe.”
In a survey I recently conducted of other recent college grads, I posed a simple question: why aren’t we all learning to code? 46% answered “They are overwhelmed by the process of learning to code,” and another 38% said they think “coding is like a new, inaccessible language.”
Clearly, despite all the work that companies like Codecademy, Dev Bootcamp, and Bloc have done to create a path for beginners to learn programming, the perception is still that it is not an easily acquired skill set.
Student Discount for Learning to Code
Bloc has helped hundreds of people of all ages and skill levels to launch a new career or a startup company. In fact, we want to do everything possible to give hardworking graduates the same opportunity which is why they are creating the Summer of Code program.
We will give away a free Macbook Air to every student or recent grad in America who enrolls in Bloc before August. Grab your coupon-code for a free Macbook Air.
Bloc offers online courses in web development, iOS, Android, and UX Design. They pair students 1-on-1 with a professional developer mentor who offers continuous coaching through a project-based curriculum. These programs are tailored to the skill level and interests of each student so you can work at your own pace and towards your own goals.
For more information on our iOS, Android, Frontend Web Development, Rails Web Development, and UX/UI Design bootcamps check out each course page!
One Student’s Summer of Code
Nikhil Sharma is a junior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville who recently enrolled in Bloc. According to Nikhil, “Bloc was an awesome way to take my coding skills to the next level over the summer while staying at home.” After Bloc, and college graduation, Nikhil hopes to become an entrepreneur or work for a startup as a developer.
