Technology has seeped into every area of our lives, and the workforce is no exception. As the world moves toward a information and tech-based economy a lot of traditional skills are becoming more and more automated. Coding is not a trend, surely it’s the inevitable direction of everything.

It’s no secret that students with a computer science-related major are in demand and can eventually claim worthwhile wages. It’s safe to say that learning to code will vastly increase your potential in becoming a valuable asset at any organization.

Huge industries have been created in the last 20 years, focussed around building the systems which make this transition possible – and that means coding. Whether students choose to pursue a career in IT or not, they’ll graduate into a workforce that requires these skills. That’s one of the many things that I learned while working at the University Career Center. A majority of the jobs posted on JobMine by employers preferred (not required) candidates who have some experience with programming.

Coding is not the new literacy, don’t feel like you have to go full-steam on a developer career to use your coding skills. If your heart is still set on business or the arts, don’t discount coding. I have no doubt that encouraging non-STEM majors to pursue coding will simultaneously benefit tech and the humanities.

As these professions start to embrace technology more and more, coding skills could be what sets you aside from the rest of the applicants. Those who adapt to these permanent waves of changes flourish. Those who shrug them off—or fail to even realize that they exist—eventually approach irrelevance.

And just like how not everyone who learns to write will go on to become a professional writer—nor everyone who learns algebra will go on to become a professional mathematician—not everyone who learns to code will go on to become a software developer. But all people who learn these things will be immensely better off as a result of their efforts.

The main thing that scares humanities students about STEM encourages students to approach their education vocationally—to think just in terms of the jobs they’re preparing for. But the barriers to entry for technical roles are dropping. Many tasks that once required specialized training can now be done with simple tools and the internet.

Coding is vital for this generation to compete in the new economy, we need more citizens who have a clue about the world in general, and understanding how programs are made is a good thing, learning to actually program not so much.

Now by no means am I an expert. If you were to compare me to someone with a computer science background I’d be out of my depth because I simply don’t have the same level of experience, but I do know enough to be of use to a prospective employer.

So don’t dismiss coding as something the geeks do. Stay a step ahead, and think about how basic coding skills could set you apart, supercharging your earning potential early on, and future-proof your income.