Math is one of the bedrocks of STEM skills, the thing underlying science, technology, and engineering. It’s well known that parents want their kids to learn STEM skills like coding and math so that down the road they’re ready for the job market.
Sometimes, it seems a little abstract: people learn one skill to get a job. But what skills? And what jobs? When you start to break it down, it looks a little like this.
First of all, don’t be surprised that RP4K talks about how professional coders rely on their math knowledge every day. We embed mathematical concepts in all our courses, even for those just starting out on their coding journey!
Our co-founder and president, Elliott Bay, is a mathematician who holds a B.Sc. (Honours Math 1st class) and an M.Sc (Mathematics) who worked for years as a math instructor. Math concepts are built into our courses. Beginning coders learn about integers, vectors, and even trigonometry!
More advanced students learn trigonometry, coordinates, matrices, rotation matrices, physical special relativity, graph theory, Dijkstra’s algorithm, and more. While all of our coding classes have math concepts in them, we also offer new applied math courses at a beginner, intermediate, and advanced level.
For serious students who have finished those courses, we also have an elite pure math and physics course. Math is a foundation for coders, and many former Real Programming 4 Kids students have gone to become professional coders in the video game industry and elsewhere. Some even use their coding skills to teach RP4K classes today!
Sun Tzu said in The Art of War that the general who makes more calculations than the other will be victorious. Companies need actuaries to calculate a whole range of things. They’re often found in the insurance industry, calculating risk to determine the right price for policies and coverage.
They also work as investment bankers, operational research analysts, risk analysts, business analysts, personal financial advisers, budget analysts and more. You’ll see the word “analyst” keeps coming up because math and analyzing go hand in hand. Businesses don’t have money to waste on bad, low-information decisions.
Understanding the numbers behind any potential move is essential. If you learn the math skills that let companies and other institutions make data-driven decisions, you’ll always be employable.
Those with math skills looking for a more social, extroverted job can become teachers. Students of all ages need to learn math, which is one of the bedrock subjects in every school.
You can decide to work with young children or young adults, teaching basic math or advanced concepts. It all depends on your skill set, personality, and preferences. Having the knowledge to enter a profession as rewarding and joyous as teaching is a great thing.
Meteorologists play a pivotal role in society by acting as the country’s authoritative source for severe weather alerts and data related to water, ice, and climate. Meteorologists are trained atmospheric scientists who monitor and forecast weather.
They work in teams predicting the weather across the country, but they also work in research and development roles in major cities. As climate change gets more intense over the years, the role of meteorologists will only get more important.
They’re also responsible for producing weather warnings, communicating important and timely weather info to industry and the public, and to develop new monitoring tools to help with forecasts.
Math is a required aspect for any meteorologist. It may not be the first professional people think of when they think of math skills, but it makes for a satisfying and fascinating career.
Lest we think that all mathematics-based jobs are desk jobs that don’t involve handiwork, carpenters use math all the time in the course of their day. Carpenters need to make calculations all the time, using arithmetic, algebra, and geometry to measure and adjust materials.
Electricians need to calculate percentages, fractions, and decimals to figure out wiring lengths and room dimensions. Contractors doing tile floors, counters, or backsplashes use geometry to calculate how many tiles they’ll need for a job.
One of the reasons math is such an important and fundamental thing to learn is that it’s used in such a wide range of professions, including ones that perhaps aren’t immediately associated with math. Learning the trades is an excellent, rewarding, and satisfying job. There’s lots of work available as we’re living in a housing crisis, and many people are looking to renovate their existing homes. You can even use your skills to build your own homes and save the money it would cost for someone else to do it.
Finally, software developers create software programs and are required to perform all the tasks to ensure they work properly. Software developers draw on their mathematical abilities when analyzing users’ needs, designing, testing, and developing the software that meet them.
Software developers come in many varieties. Some design computer applications, others create the software that drives the computers. A short list of different types of engineers includes:
RP4K is proud to teach some of the most in-demand coding languages a software engineer could want to learn, such as Python, Java, JavaScript, C#, C++, and more. We’re proud to teach students of all levels of skill and experience how to write code in the languages employers look for in new hires.
While there’s much talk about what skills young people need to get a job one day, RP4K is very careful to ensure our lessons are fun first and foremost. Extracurricular programs for kids need to be enjoyable.
STEM skills are one of the bedrock of education worldwide for a reason. People who possess these skills can apply them in countless ways to suit their personality and skills in a wide variety of jobs. These jobs are often in demand, and they pay well. If you’d like your child to learn math in a fun, supportive environment, enroll them in RP4K’s coding classes today.
