In an increasingly digitised and competitive world of work, the importance of equipping people with coding skills has never been more important, especially against a backdrop of rapid AI advancements and a widening digital skills gap.
This year’s National Coding Week highlights AI as a core theme. With this, we explore the critical role that coding and AI education play in preparing the workforce for the future – gathering insights from technology experts around how businesses can empower their teams with coding expertise to navigate the AI landscape effectively.
AI and human intuition: collaboration, not a replacement
Lori MacVitte, Distinguished Engineer, F5 states: “Although AI can assist with routine coding, its limitations reinforce the need for skilled human coders to build secure, innovative solutions. Coders do more than just develop software; they also play a vital role in analysing code for vulnerabilities and designing robust security tools to strengthen cybersecurity. As AI advancements continue, the demand for talented coders to develop secure systems will remain crucial. It’s key to remember that AI is meant to complement, not replace, human work.”
Echoing this sentiment, Nat Natarajan, Chief Product and Strategy Office, G-P, notes: ” AI is reshaping how businesses hire and manage global talent, automating and streaming all aspects of the employment lifecycle. However, AI is here to enhance, not replace, the human element in the workplace. Organisations need to consider how they can develop strategies where AI complements and supports human work, making it more efficient and scalable.”
John Smith, EMEA CTO, Veracode, adds: “AI tools, such as ChatGPT, can accelerate coding and its efficiency. In fact, it can support “Pair Programming,” where one developer writes code while the AI provides suggestions and identifies mistakes in code. This two-pronged approach can help in quickly identifying and fixing bugs; a major advantage given the fast-paced nature of business timelines nowadays. However, the question remains whether coders can trust and rely on ChatGPT to do the job accurately every time. I believe sole reliance on AI tools requires careful application, as they might introduce new issues or vulnerabilities. Such tools rarely produce flawless code nor correct every single bug as diligently as a human could, especially as the code gets larger and more complex.”
Closing the AI skills gap
Mark Gray, UK & Ireland Country Manager, Universal Robots, highlights: “Robotics have an estimated value at stake of £183.6 billion to the UK economy, with robots poised to assist workers in industries like manufacturing where high-precision, repetitive tasks are common. However, this growth depends on cultivating a skilled workforce capable of programming and collaborating with these advanced technologies. To ensure the next generation is ready to lead this shift, it’s crucial to prioritise coding and robotics education. By integrating these skills into mainstream learning, we can equip young professionals with the technical and creative expertise required to seamlessly implement robots and collaborative robots (cobots) into workplaces.”
EJ Cay, UK&I VP, Genesys, agrees: “As AI systems become increasingly advanced and integrated across industries, the demand for skilled coders has skyrocketed. These professionals are needed to build, maintain, and optimise the AI-powered applications that drive innovation. This is especially true in the customer experience (CX) space, where great experiences are powered by sophisticated software and intelligent automation. CX teams require coders who can develop seamless, omnichannel orchestrated experiences that delight customers.”
Enhancing diversity in coding
Beyond technical proficiency, Rohit Gupta, UK&I Country Head, Cognizant, says: “Gen AI tools are already enabling developers to bypass significant amounts of the menial work behind coding, and as they evolve will further disrupt the day-to-day work of coders. In turn, their focus will shift from problem-solving to problem-finding – focusing less on the creation of software and more on identifying new applications and use cases.
Gupta continues: “Businesses will only be truly competitive if they are able to facilitate and leverage a diverse and versatilely skilled employee base, or they run the risk of never achieving the full potential of new technology. It’s important technology-focused education provides students with a diverse skill set and is accessible to people from all walks of life to ensure a high-achieving and multifaceted workforce of the future.”
Hayath Hussein, Chief Operating Officer, Com Laude, adds: “Tech companies need to make sure that they’re able to attract talented people irrespective of location or background. Improving access through initiatives to get underrepresented groups interested in tech and providing mentorship opportunities isn’t just beneficial for diversity and inclusion. Online services that the world uses every day will continue to rely on developers regardless of the impact of AI, so we need to ensure that there are developers with the strong analytical and coding skills needed to sustain them in future.”
This is echoed by Faye Ellis, Principal Training Architect, Pluralsight, who adds: “Ethically integrating AI into coding is also a crucial aspect of upskilling that businesses must address. Developers need to understand not only how to use AI tools effectively but also the potential risks and ethical concerns, such as bias in algorithms. Upskilling through online courses and hands-on experience is key to adapting to the evolving coding landscape. For AI to be effectively integrated into programming, tools must be paired with the continuous development of skills to maximise productivity and long-term success.”
Addressing cybersecurity concerns
Securing AI systems is another growing concern in the AI space. Rich Turner, EMEA President, CyberArk, warns: “National Coding Week highlights the need for developing enhanced coding skills to meet the accelerated adoption of AI, especially when it comes to securing these tools. CyberArk’s research on identity security shows that 47% of businesses anticipate that their total number of operational machine identities will triple or more in the next year. This is largely owing to multi-cloud and increased AI usage.”
Preparing a workforce for the future
As AI systems become increasingly advanced and integrated across industries, the demand for skilled coders and education around AI has surged. To prepare the future workforce, businesses must prioritise coding education that fosters effective collaboration between human creativity and AI. By investing in diverse and inclusive upskilling programmes, organisations can bridge the skills gap and build an agile, innovative, and secure workforce.
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