In the age of the fourth industrial revolution, digital transformation, and web 3.0, it’s vital that young people have access to a ‘digital’ education to give them the right skills for the job market. From learning basic data management to more complex skills like coding, understanding ever-evolving technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and the rapid shift to the cloud, placing more emphasis on teaching young people these disciplines will be instrumental in closing the skills gap. Importantly, this will fill job roles and ultimately, help the sector to generate billions for the economy.
While there are many experts currently working within these sectors, the rate of adoption of technology and IT in the workplace creates unprecedented demand for new skills. This is in part a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has accelerated the rate at which companies have adopted new ways of working. This trend shows no signs of slowing down, so the talent pool must keep up. Additionally, there is a need for a new wave of tech professionals to create a more diverse workforce and bring creative skills to the table.
However, many academic programmes don’t currently fully reflect the needs of the job market or its trajectory, while graduates are leaving university without the opportunity for further training. In fact, there is a significant gap between technology requirements in the workplace, and what many schools are currently delivering. People who want to shift their careers towards digital disciplines also face challenges and may only be able to teach themselves or use online courses in their spare time to get the knowledge they need.
