sigh...if you are trader you will know whyRegulation should be a big reason. Risk control and internal control are all quite techie, at least VaR is really a mathematical terms. Anyway, computing is really very important even for a trader, unless you want to do paper works, but paper works is extremly boring (at least for me). If you really want to be an analysis, taking a programming course will be necessary. (just my personal view). By the way, what is your background, engineer?