In late 2016, the Information and Communications Technology Council released a comprehensive Labour Market Outlook for Canada. This report showed that by 2019 there will be approximately 182,000 jobs in information and communications technology will be left vacant because Canadians currently lack the skills needed for these jobs.
It was found by the Conference Board of Canada in 2010 that a mere 21.2% of students graduate with degrees in math, science, computer science or engineering disciplines – a number that is now declining.
Computer science graduates have the opportunity for jobs that are highly engaging, can be quite lucrative, and the high demand for these positions continue to rise rapidly. According to code.org, 71% of all new jobs in the U.S. are in the field of computing while only a stunning 8% of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) graduates specialize in computer science. It seems counterintuitive that even with all the upsides of a computer science degree, students still aren’t entering these programs. What is the reason for this disconnect?
In Canada, it could be directly related to the fact that our primary education system doesn’t expose students to coding. Coding for all intensive purposes is it’s own language, yet this is a language that is not taught at schools. Here is something to consider, if a student didn’t learn french during grade school they might not pursue a degree in French. They probably wouldn’t even take a class. The same logic applies can be applied to coding which most students are never exposed to in their standard curriculum. Let’s face it – technology is the core of modern society, when students are not taught the basic fundamentals of what makes up modern society we fail as educators.
The viability of a career in technology shouldn’t be the only driving force behind teaching our students the science of coding. It has been proven that coding also helps with other areas of academia. The foundation of all computer science is logic, which has been defined as studying what comes next. The focus on problem solving and building solutions using logic are completely transferable skills to other subject areas. Computer science can also help with students in their mathematical courses and applying those studies to real life situations.
Above all, technology exists as an essential tool of our everyday lives. It is no longer possible to live without technology in modern society. Understanding at a base level what technology is and how it can be manipulated is an irrefutable skill that all children should have the opportunity to be exposed to.
