Parents want their kids to go to college for the job security a college degree provides. Unfortunately in recent years we have seen that a college degree alone does not guarantee employment. 30% of young graduates are unemployed or underemployed.
Job security comes from having skills that are in demand by many companies. Not all businesses succeed, so part of security is that if the company you work for folds, you will easily join with another company. In a world where a college degree itself is not a guarantee of job security, parents should encourage their children to develop these skills that are in high demand.
Computer programmers are in high demand and will be for the foreseeable future. Nearly every traditional company has a software component these days. In the next decade the projected job growth for software developers is 30% compared to 14% for the US job market overall. There aren’t close to enough qualified people to fill these openings!
Growth in demand + weak supply = job security.
While parents don’t want to pick a career for their children, exposure and encouragement are perfectly acceptable. Many students will find they enjoy the challenge and creativity computer programming provides. If it doesn’t become a career path there are still incredible benefits like logical reasoning skills and deconstructing large goals into achievable steps. What do you have to lose?