Why Coding Won’t Be the Only Tech Skill You Need – Insights from Google’s CEO

Recently, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in an NBCNews article that although programming is popular in school curricula and vocational training, not all tech industry jobs will require strong coding skills in an increasingly automated future.

Pichai explained that when people think about boosting productivity or seeking tech jobs, they immediately think of "programming." Over the past decade, almost every tech‑skill initiative has focused on computer science, especially for young students. However, over‑emphasizing programming creates opportunities for other skills.

He noted that many mid‑level, non‑tech‑intensive roles are being rapidly digitized and automated, so workers must stay alert and continuously upskill. In the past, education plus vocational training could secure a good job; today, rapid technological change constantly creates new career fields.

The Google CEO stressed the need to focus on widespread, lightweight, ongoing education to ensure everyone can find opportunities in future work environments.

He gave examples: managers now need basic computer skills to schedule online, budget, and handle accounting, and ordinary employees should receive related training, though a formal computer‑science degree isn’t required.

These computer‑related skills are easier to learn than programming and can be taught at scale. Data cited by Pichai shows that in the U.S., jobs requiring "moderate" computer skills grew from 40% of the workforce in 2002 to 48% in 2016.

Pichai also highlighted IT technical support as a tech‑industry role that doesn’t require programming but does need some technical education. He likened it to automotive repair training, calling for a clear pathway to the more than 150,000 IT support jobs that involve maintaining hardware and supporting software services, yet currently lack dedicated training programs.

Overall, he argued that shifting focus from programming and degrees to lightweight, ubiquitous education and flexible skill‑training will prepare the existing labor force for future jobs.

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