According to the Computer Science Education Week website, there are only 400,000 computer science students to fill 1.4 million jobs. Among 2012 high school students enrolled in AP courses, only 0.7% took computer science.
The mantra behind CS Education Week is “anybody can learn.” Attorneys, that includes you. The Hour of Code initiative demonstrates just how easy it is to get started (and how little time it can take). No, you aren’t going to be a programming master after one hour. But why stop there? Take a few hours out of your week to learn a coding language that will help your firm.
Not interested in working on your website? There are still other reasons to learn. Coding is a way of thought. It forces you to identify the problem and solve it in the (hopefully) most efficient way possible. The answer is not always obvious, but you can use the lessons others have learned and apply it to your own problem. That sounds awfully familiar to the practice of law.
That’s right. Learning to code could make you a better lawyer.
Above all, learning to code gives a better appreciation and understanding for the world around you. Most of us take for granted the applications and technology we use every day. In the words of President Obama, “Don’t just download the latest app. Help design it.”
Computer Science Education Week runs from Dec. 9-15 this year, but education doesn’t have to be (and shouldn’t be) limited to one week.
Interested in learning your Hour of Code? Get started at Code.org, then head over to Codeacademy (free) or Treehouse (free lessons; advanced features start at $25/month) for in-depth tutorials on multiple languages and platforms.
Are you an attorney learning to code? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below.