- 92% of companies say that having basic digital skills is important
- Coding is set to become an essential job skill
- Educational institutions need to provide students with the tools to be digitally knowledgeable
Coding is a professional skill that is becoming increasingly essential in a digital world. Companies across all industries are now relying on technology to power their business operations, and regardless of an individual’s specific role, there is no doubt that learning to code will increase someone’s potential in becoming a valuable employee.
Yet, a recent report suggests that nearly a quarter of employers say their workforce lacks the basic digital skills they need. In fact, although 92% of organisations stated that having basic digital skills is important for their employees, and four in five job vacancies require them, 23% are facing a significant gap.
Buy why is this? In part, it is because educational institutions are not sufficiently meeting this growing demand by providing students with the skills they need to stay one step ahead in the job market.
But this isn’t the case for every institution. In fact, a number of coding-focused programs, initiatives, and bootcamps are now being developed at rapid speed by forward-thinking institutions in order to provide students with essential digital knowledge. And its business schools in particular that are leading the charge.
In February 2021 NEOMA Business School in France launched a brand-new coding school, giving it’s students and graduates alike the opportunity to self-train in web coding at their own pace and according to their needs.
“The objective of this platform is not to train IT development specialists, but to provide students with the fundamentals of coding,” says Delphine Manceau, Dean of NEOMA Business School. “This will allow them to exchange more easily with web experts, preparing them for a digitally professional environment.”
Manceau adds that, as technology develops at significant pace, students from the business school will continue to be one step ahead. The program provides participants with a set of advanced tools to facilitate the learning of code, including a database of tutorials and web resources, thematic conferences, and mixed coaching from professors, professionals, and students. With modules being taught on Python, HTML, CSS, PHP, JQuery, Ajax and MySQL, the aim is that students will be able to hone a broad set of essential coding skills, giving them a significant competitive edge in the job market.
Indeed, being knowledgeable on coding equips individuals to better understand how different aspects within a company fit together, and complements other business skills. “The courses offered are adapted according to the user’s wishes,” explains Denis Gallot, Director of the Rouen Campus at NEOMA. “Students can learn how to create a website or an application, or how to develop key calculation tools in finance.”
Trinity Business School in Ireland is also seeking to expand its students’ technological knowledge as it prepares to unveil the Republic of Ireland’s first state-of-the-art multimedia lecture room, known as The Matrix.
Just like NEOMA, the new multimedia room at Trinity reflects the innovative path of the business school, and will allow the school to further expand its educational offerings by providing additional technological learning tools to its students on a flexible and blended-learning basis. The facility will be used across the board – from those studying on undergraduate programmes right up to professionals undertaking Executive Education courses, to deliver business education with an emphasis on the development of digital skills.
Institutions like NEOMA and Trinity have taken the first steps, but much more needs to be done to help students develop the digital skills that employers desperately need as technological advancements continue to put more and more pressure on industry to keep pace. Coding is the language of the future – are you ready?