[Answer] What Programming Skills Does an Automation Major Need, and to What Level?

[Answer] What Programming Skills Does an Automation Major Need, and to What Level?

When I was in school, programming courses were still mainly centered on C, including programming fundamentals, data structures, and so on. We also studied some assembly language, and when it came to databases and practical coursework, we were taught Delphi and C#. In my junior year, I also chose LabVIEW and Matlab, and for my graduation project, I followed my advisor and used Java...

At the time, I did not have one single language that ran through my entire education, but C was still the foundation overall. The essence of programming languages does not really change; different languages are just tools. The core lies in programming thinking. From a teaching perspective, C is undoubtedly a very good choice: it is closely tied to hardware while still having the characteristics of a high-level language, which makes it convenient for future expansion and growth. Back then, it was the obvious choice.

After graduation, I used VB and C# for several years (mainly because they were convenient), and later switched to learning Python. From that point on, I was completely hooked. For students studying automation who are interested in going into artificial intelligence, data science, or even web development, I would strongly recommend starting with Python. Of course, having a foundation in C is even better, but it is not a prerequisite for learning Python.

In addition, for industrial applications, if you want to enter the field of automation, PLC, DCS, and even LabVIEW may be necessary areas of knowledge. And if you already have a solid software foundation, it will have a very direct and far-reaching positive impact on learning those tools as well.