By Paul Emeka Chimodo
Many falsely believe that coding, or tech in general, is not for them. And while the tech industry is dominated by Caucasian men, particularly in leadership roles, that doesn’t mean you should sit out if you don’t fit that description.
In this article, i explore and debunk popular myths people believe about transitioning to a career in the tech industry. Some of these myths have held people back from pursuing their passions and securing the bag. We explain why they are untrue.
Myth 1: You need a degree in computer science or to be good at math and the sciences to successfully pursue a career in tech
Well, you do not need to. While having a degree in any desired field, you can take courses online or enroll in programs like the NITDEV training to be successful in the tech space. Also, tech roles like design, product management, marketing do not require a proficiency in math or science.
Myth 2: Tech is all about coding
This is as false as myths can get. Yes, coding is required in certain tech roles but it is definitely not the only thing that tech is about. In fact, there are a lot of no-coding roles in tech. You can check out this post on our social media page that highlights some no-coding tech roles.
Myth 3: Tech has opportunities mainly for men
This is again- not true. There are many women who are thriving in the tech industry. There is certainly no gender preference for carrying out responsibilities in the tech space. All that is required is the skill set for the work. For that, there is no gender bias. In this article by the techjury, Only 37% of tech startups have at least one woman on the board of directors. This fact highlights that this myth is still crippling some women from pursuing roles in tech.
Myth 4: You have to be young to work in tech
You might have wondered if only young people work in tech. While it might be true that most young people are trying to switch into tech and that most start-ups are owned by young people, there are also people in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond that work in tech. The rise in the number of young people in tech now is due to the increasing popularity of the industry.
Myth 5: It costs a lot of money to learn tech skills
It has been established that you don’t have to go back to college, but it’s true that alternative education can be pricey too; plenty of bootcamp programs come with five-figure price tags. However, there are affordable options out there too, including lots of places where you can learn to code for free. If you like to learn collaboratively, see if you can find local meetup groups, seminars, or adult education classes. If you like the idea of an intensive bootcamp, explore scholarships or find one that fits your budget. Money should be the last thing holding you back.
Myth 6: In tech, there’s no room for creativity
There are a lot of creative jobs in tech! Even tech roles that require coding still leave room for creativity. You might ask, “how?”. There are different ways to write a code to execute one task. It is up to the developer’s creativity to decide how to write the code to execute the task. Also, jobs like graphics design, UI/UX design, animation making etc., allows for lots of creative expression.
