Why Should You Learn Web Development?

Web development is a skill that people around the world are learning. They’re attending intensive programming courses that take a few months to complete and spending over $10,000 for the privilege, all while they take time off of work or quit their jobs completely. What’s the big deal? Why should you invest your precious time and money to learn how to become a web developer?

Before launching into why you should become a web developer, it’s important to lay out what web developers actually do. They are the ones who create the code to build websites. Some work on the frontend, making the design of the sites pleasing to look at and use. Other web developers work on the backend, making sure that the entire structure of the website functions correctly, connecting the frontend of a website with databases and servers. Full stack developers are skilled in both frontend and backend development.

First, coding is a skill employers are looking for. They want their employees to know what coding is all about, how to write code for new apps and programs. Many companies hire coders to work in their IT departments, and tech companies also hire them to work on jobs for customers. If employees aren’t actually coders themselves, having knowledge of how to code helps them understand the ins and outs of the coding process and helps them communicate with coders to build products consumers want to buy.

Additionally, learning how to code sets you up to be able to create your own websites. If you want to start your own business, knowing how to code can help you build your own business website. If you are going to hire out the coding for your site, knowing the basics of coding will help you translate what you want to the coders you hire. This will keep the communication lines open and flowing smoothly.

If you are looking at the bottom line, learning to code can bring in a hefty pay check, even if you’re just a junior developer. The median annual salary for a web developer was $64,970per year, as of May 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Job security is also high for web developers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects that the growth rate for web developers will be between 27 percent between 2014 and 2024. The total percent change for all occupations is expected to be 6.5 percent between 2014 and 2024. So there should be plenty of work available if you’re a web developer.

While you can work as a regular employee for one company, you could also freelance and complete individual projects for clients on your own terms. Work where and when you want. If you focus your work on building websites for a particular industry, you’ll build a niche clientele that will come to you again and again. You would be especially good at this if you can identify a coding need in your former industry with which you are already familiar.