Given the growing emphasis on the digitalisation of business processes to enhance workflow efficacy, employers are increasing their adoption of technology involving coding skills. This is considered the baseline competency for professionals to identify and measure problems and make data-driven decisions.

More than half (53%) of the employers surveyed cited the increasing number of tech-lite jobs that require basic coding skills, and 73% of employers are looking to fill tech-lite roles in the next two years.

These are some of the key findings from NTUC LearningHub's recently launched Industry Insights report on Coding, to uncover the importance of acquiring coding knowledge, the demand for tech-lite and tech-heavy roles, as well as the priority skills required of employees.

The report is based on a survey with 200 business leaders across various industries, and interviews with industry practitioners and experts from NTUC LearningHub and its training content partners. It also offers recommendations on how aspiring coders from varying backgrounds and level of competency can upskill in coding.

The report found a strong majority of employers (84%) agree that there is an increasing need for employees across various roles to acquire basic coding skills. Nearly a third of them (28%) shared that a large proportion of roles within their organisation requires some extent of coding knowledge.

Although 51% of the business leaders believe that a traditional education qualification is important when considering candidates with coding skills, more than half of them are open to hiring candidates who may not have the relevant education (67%) or the relevant job experience (65%) but have undergone skills training and attained certification in coding.

In addition, employers are also on a lookout for talents with critical core skills such as problem solving (69%), communication (58%) and digital fluency (52%) as they are complementary to the technical skills of an effective coder.

Commenting on the report findings, NTUC LearningHub's director of infocomm technology, Anthony Chew says, "Tech-lite coding skills can be picked up by beginners with keen interest in technology and can be applied horizontally across different domains and industries. For example, marketing professionals can acquire basic coding skills to automate rudimentary marketing processes using robotic process automation."

He continues, "Our insights indicate that there is a strong demand for tech-lite roles, and while digitally savvy candidates may be qualified for such roles, candidates who possess industry-recognised coding certifications have an added advantage and will be in a better position to advance their careers.

"Therefore, now is the right time for workers who want to enhance their employability to seize the opportunity by acquiring basic coding skills. Meanwhile, employers should consider sending their current workforce for training in coding as an investment. At NTUC LearningHub, we have various levels of training programmes in coding for the diverse needs of our learners.