- Online coding programs help Indians learn lucrative computer science skills.
- Tech skills are useful even for non-programming jobs.
- Free coding programs can help you get up to speed with in-demand languages.
Coding is an essential skill to have in today’s economic climate. Whether you’re looking for a job directly related to computer science or expecting to do lots of data processing, research, or reporting, knowing your way around a scripting language so you can automate tasks or make simple programs will be beneficial.
You don’t have to go back to college to learn how to code. It’s possible to teach yourself in your spare time or learn through online coding courses. There are even some free programmes that cover the basics and can get you on the path to being a confident coder.
Coding Skills Are Useful for a Variety of Jobs
Coding skills can be useful for a variety of office jobs. From using VBA scripts to automate tasks in Microsoft Office to processing large text files or data dumps using Python, knowing the basics of programming can make many jobs easier. If you’re a small business owner, having some knowledge of web development could save you money when you come to update your website, too. Learning the basics of coding is a good investment in your future career potential.
Why Join an Online Coding Program?
Programmers are in high demand and receive an average yearly salary of ₹501,715.1 Given the rising importance of the IT sector, the demand for a proficient and talented computer programmer will likely continue to grow in the near future. If you’re looking for a relatively future-proof profession with good remuneration, becoming a coder makes good sense.2
Here are some other major benefits of learning to code:
Job Flexibility
One of the fundamental reasons to become a programmer is to have a flexible job that promotes work-life balance. The traditional nine to five job can be monotonous, which can take a toll on an individual’s creativity and skills. Fortunately, computer programming jobs give a high degree of flexibility in terms of both work environment and schedule. Instead of following a rigid routine, programmers have the option to work as freelancers and carry out their job remotely. Very few industries offer a similar level of flexibility.
Job Demand
Nowadays, technology is integrated into almost every aspect of life, especially in India. The prevalence of technology has increased job opportunities for programmers in every sector. In order to make the most of the digital era, employers and organizations are relying on talented and productive programmers. As a result, there’s high demand for programmers in the current business landscape.
Some of the most common jobs that programmers can choose include:
- Software Application Developer
- Computer Systems Engineer
- Web Developer
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Quality Assurance Engineer
- Business Intelligence Analyst3
Independence
In the IT-driven economy of the 21st century, programmers have the opportunity and freedom to start their own businesses. In addition to this, they also have the option to take on side jobs based on their skills and expertise. The solid coding skills that professionals receive through online coding programs act as the foundation of their success and career growth. Some of the most popular business domains that programmers can venture into are game development, software consulting and Web3 development.4
Top Online Coding Programmes for Indian Students
In the prevailing business landscape, computer programming is one of the most promising paths for young professionals. Taking the right online coding course is one of the smartest decisions an individual can make to flourish in a programming career. Enrolling in online coding programmes is worth your time, effort, and commitment, as it can give you a competitive edge professionally.
If you’re interested in taking an online coding course, here are some of the most useful coding programmes for Indian developers:
Professional Certificate in Coding from MIT
MIT’s Professional Certificate in Coding course runs for 32 weeks and expects students to commit to 15 to 20 hours of study per week. This course teaches full stack development with MERN, giving learners the chance to build and deploy APIs and get experience with front-end development and CI/CD. Plus, throughout the course, students build a GitHub portfolio. These are all valuable skills for anyone who’s serious about getting a job in the web development industry.5
Software Engineering MasterTrack Certificate from Arizona State University
The six-month Software Engineering MasterTrack Certificate course from Arizona State University is an in-depth class that covers software design, testing and coding. It also touches on mobile development and blockchain technologies. The course provides a solid grounding in development and would be a useful starting point for someone interested in Web3, mobile or even desktop development as a future career. Graduates should have the skills they need to go off on their own and learn other tools or programming languages in the future.6
Codecademy
The Codecademy coding course is a free class that teaches the basics of programming. It’s self-paced and users can dip in and out, selecting the parts that interest them the most. Codecademy offers courses in everything from web development to Python. There’s a large community of users who offer support and encouragement, and you’ll have the chance to work on numerous mini projects for your portfolio. In addition to the free intro courses, Codecademy offers subscription-based courses with more advanced career-path courses, such as data science and server administration.7
Python for Everybody from the University of Michigan
The University of Michigan’s Python for Everybody specialization is a quick and easy introduction to Python. This course is hosted on Coursera, and you can audit it for free or take up a membership to earn the certificate. If you’re just interested in learning how you can use Python in your day-to-day work, this course will give you an understanding of the language and power it has for automating frequently repeated tasks and processing data.8
Computer Science – Programming with a Purpose from Princeton University
Princeton University offers a course called Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose, which offers a broad understanding of the principles of computer programming. Graduates of this course will have a solid understanding of sound computer programming principles they can apply to any programming languages they learn in the future. This course may appeal to people who want a career in data science or who use programming languages regularly in their work but aren’t dedicated developers.9
Coding for Beginners 101 from Udemy
Those who simply want to get some exposure to programming to see if it’s for them may want to try Coding for Beginners 101. This Udemy course is affordable and frequently offered at a deep discount, so it’s worth watching for it to go on sale. Coding for Beginners is a short introductory course that covers the most basic concepts of computer programming, giving learners skills they can transfer to other languages they learn in the future.10