As today’s workplaces continue to evolve, more and more employees (and potential employees) are looking for ways to boost their value, often by mastering new skills to enhance their résumés. One skill that’s gaining steam is coding.
Once considered the bastion of AV nerds and computer science majors, the ability to write and understand basic computer coding languages is now being seen as a gateway to broader career possibilities, no matter what your profession. Among the benefits cited are the ability to better understand what’s possible (and what’s not) when it comes to product development and being able to facilitate easier dialog between departments (because you understand the language). And even if you never become a full-time IT professional, the ability to use and understand programming languages can help hone logical thinking, higher-math skills and advanced learning concepts, all of which can make you an in-demand employee.
According to Dennis O’Reilly for C/NET, some of the best free sites to jumpstart your coding literacy are LearnStreet’s Ruby for Beginners (www.learnstreet.com/lessons/ruby), Khan Academy’s programming curriculum (www.khanacademy.org/computing/cs), Codeacademy’s Ruby tutorial (www.codecademy.com/tracks/ruby) and W3Schools.com’s JavaScript tutorial (www.w3schools.com/js/default.asp).
In its 6th annual Digital IQ Survey, PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) asked almost 1,400 companies which emerging technologies they’re planning to invest in this year. The study identified trends most likely to be top-of-mind for business and IT leaders in the months to come. They are:
• Business analytics (44%). As analytic technologies mature, they’ll free decision makers from often mundane and complex data analysis to deliver “intelligence at the moment.”
• Socially enabled business processes (41%). Harnessing and prioritizing multiple collaboration platforms to increase productivity, enhance collaboration and connect with external stakeholders will reap valuable benefits.
• Mobile customer engagement (39%). To meet consumers in their mobile worlds, companies are providing compelling, customer-centered products and services.
• Cybersecurity (39%). Rather than focus simply on prevention, enterprises are using monitoring strategies and tools to rapidly identify and respond to security breaches.
• On-demand business and technology services (25%). CIOs are under pressure to speed the pace of technology deployments in the areas of cloud, social, mobile, big data and analytics.
• Sensors (20%). Beacons and sensors will begin to collect data and feed it into the cloud, where it will be turned into content-aware information that can be used to enhance a user’s experience.
• Robotics (15%). Companies that innovate through robot platforms and have a business case that works have the opportunity to disrupt their competitive landscape and capture new markets.
• Battery and power technologies (15%). Batteries are starting to influence infrastructure and product design.
• 3D printing (11%). Companies can use 3D printing to customize existing or produce breakthrough products at hyperspeed, and mastermind new business models.
• Wearable computing (6%). Now that embedded and wearable sensors are popular among consumers (devices that monitor physical activity, for example), clinicians and payers (such as insurance companies) are also embracing them.
The E-Cig Debate
We can’t be the only ones noticing all the electronic cigarette (e-cig) stores cropping up in the North Bay. Seems these little devices, basically a battery-operated inhaler that can be loaded with a variety of liquids (containing varying levels of nicotine, flavorings and other additives), are gaining popularity for a number of reasons. And, just as quickly, they’re being targeted for stricter regulation.
Some have embraced e-cigs as a way to stop smoking traditional cigarettes, though there’s no hard evidence they actually help. Many others are concerned the opposite may be true: that teens who use the devices may eventually segue to cigarettes or even marijuana. According to a recent study, e-cig use among teenagers has more than doubled since 2012, and the availability of fruit- and candy-flavored liquids make the practice appealing to younger audiences.
Another concern is that, because their appearance is so similar to actual cigarettes, they’ve reportedly caused public confusion as to where smoking is allowed, resulting in compliance problems with smoke-freelaws. In the North Bay, the communities of Fairfax, Mill Valley, Petaluma, Sebastopol and Tiburon have instituted varying levels of e-cig prohibitions, ranging from nonhospitality-related workplaces only to full bans including bars, restaurants and gambling facilities. In the unincorporated parts of Marin County, e-cigs are banned everywhere smoking is prohibited, except in individual apartment units in multi-unit residences.
