Would you say your current skills deliver enough knowledge to get you to your ideal career position? Most of us would answer a definitive "no," to that question. This is the main reason people enroll in graduate school studies to obtain additional knowledge and advance their careers.
Those who work in data-driven jobs face extra pressure to stay current on programming languages and technical abilities. These assets are required to maintain an industry position and move up the food chain.
Professionals who are continually evolving their computer science abilities can feel overwhelmed. While it may seem daunting, there are steps you can take to help you hone your programming skills. Learning SQL is a great step for advancing your options. This programming language is utilized by more than fifty percent of developers around the globe.
SQL or Structured Query Language Is the Standard
Did you realize that SQL has grown to become the industry standard? Considered to be a ubiquitous database language for programming, SQL is used to access, query and store data. It has been around for four and a half decades.
Structured Query Language has interwoven itself into every aspect of business. It has grown to become one of the main skills for anyone in a data-driven job.
Discover what makes developing SQL skills one of the best moves anyone involved in computer science can make. Here are the top five reasons to up your game and tackle these skills.
Top 5 Reasons to Learn SQL
1. SQL is simple to use and easy to learn.
Did you know that there are more than two hundred and fifty different programming languages out there? This may beg the question of why bother investing your time and energy into learning SQL. It has earned a reputation for being easier to learn compared to some other complex processes.
Languages including Java rely on memorizing a series of specific steps to finish a task. SQL alternatively pulls data by relying on declarative statements. With SQL the query either works or it does not. You are not required to understand how it pulls the data in the first place.
SQL handles all the heavy lifting. Learning SQL as your main programming language offers many benefits in today's tech-based world.
2. SQL is the global industry standard.
There have been numerous databases since the 1970s. Each of these came with an individual operating system. Obviously, this made any type of migration very time-consuming and difficult. It was inevitable that messy situations occurred as a result.
SQL became the new answer. It was born from the premise of algebra combined with relational databases. Standard Query Language was designed to become the platform and the new industry standard. It made databases much easier for people to access all over the world.
As time went on, it became clear that each problem could not be solved via relational databases on its own. Hence the creation of a variety of SQL versions emerged. Some of the most recognized versions still utilized today include Firebird, SQLite and MySQL.
What are Relational Databases?
Each time you search on Amazon for an item, there will be a list of suggestions made based on that search. This happens due to using a relational database that provides a list of products that are similar based on different variables.
These data points often include similar product descriptions, your user preferences, and your purchase history among other things. Each item is considered to deliver highly personalized content. Your search typically acts like an SQL query. Based on the items you input, it drags information out of the database.
3. SQL skills are extremely sought after.
The amount of data humans produce daily continues to grow exponentially. In 2018, it was estimated that we were making 2.5 exabytes of data daily.
The prediction is that by 2025, we will be creating up to 463 daily exabytes. This astronomical amount of data quantity comes with additional growth in data applications across different industries. From professionals to marketing to data science and healthcare, SQL skills are essential for handling these enormous data loads.
Additionally, every major Database Management System, DBMS has SQL integrations. This makes individuals who are trained in this programming language extremely beneficial. Some teams constantly rely on multiple experts to fulfill their needs.
This is a competitive job market; however, even having some basic knowledge of this vital skill can give you a leading edge compared to other applicants.
4. Enjoy a programming gateway once you understand SQL.
Have you been considering learning programming for a while but have been unsure where to begin? SQL is the perfect place to start your education. It offers an easy language structure and enjoys a free application or open-source option. It is already being used in a variety of industries that you currently rely on.
Learning SQL is an excellent first step into your programming career. It relies on English words to capture database information. Other coding languages are commonly made up of a series of letters and number strings that rely on heavy memorization skills.
SQL on the other hand can offer you experience in interpreting and using data. It can generate the mindset necessary to help you adapt to more intense coding languages in the future.
5. SQL enables fast access to useful information.
Businesses are faced with the challenge of effectively managing loads of information. From client information to item prices, this information can be used to leverage more strategic and wiser business decisions.
For instance, if a business wishes to test how many items were purchased during a certain sale point, it can utilize SQL to pull that info in mere seconds. This data can generate vital insight for creating that sale in another location or running a similar sale in a different region.
They may decide to try a completely opposite sale approach in another location depending on the data. These statistics can help the business make essential decisions to ensure that efforts are not thwarted. This is especially useful when looking at large data sets and trying to extrapolate actionable information.
SQL has become the main component of data practices for more companies and industries than you realize. Popular business applications including Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce utilize SQL as a foundation.
There are some great online bootcamps and courses to help you access SQL training. There are great opportunities to help you understand the data. Some may decide to pursue a university master's in analytics. There are sills in every capacity that can deliver a competitive edge in your job. It is always a great time to consider upgrading your digital skills.
