When it comes to assessing the impact of digital technology, Britain’s 12 to 17 year olds are an optimistic bunch, but according to a new survey by consultancy Accenture they are also concerned that today’s education system is not equipping them to be tomorrow’s entrepreneurs and high-value employees.
Based on interviews with around 5,000 UK residents, Accenture’s Digital Dream Makers report provides a snapshot of attitudes towards digital technology and its impact on the workplace and wider society. And while the survey takes in a broad cross section of the UK population from 12 years upwards, the section dealing with teenagers – the so called “digiteens” - is particular interesting, not least because it raises questions about how we develop the skills required for a technology-focused economy.
First the good news. It will come as absolutely no surprise to know that today’s teenagers are digital natives of the highest order (more can create and share a video than boil and egg) and as the report points out, their view of the workplace and the career opportunities that await them are being fundamentally shaped by the information age.
For instance around 44% of those taking part in the survey believe that digital technology will enable them to start and run their own businesses. Given that just 23% of their parents work for themselves, that would represent a sharp jump in the numbers of entrepreneurs and self-employed. Meanwhile 86% expect to have more career choices than their parents in the era of the digital business.
However, being a digital native in terms of a thoroughgoing understanding of the web, social media, mobile technology and video games is not quite the same as being equipped for the 21st century marketplace and while 39% of those taking part in the survey can code two thirds (65%) say they are not being taught the skills they need under the current schools curriculum.
And this is where the report feeds into a much wider debate that is of huge importance to companies of all sizes and entrepreneurial businesses in particular. Consider those industries that are expected to drive the UK economy over the next decade - digital media, robotics, space, advanced agricultural engineering, financial services, etc – and the common factor is demand for digital skills. Widen that out to the digital transformation of just about every workplace and the same skills are required. And small entrepreneurial companies with limited resources will be competing with the large corporations within a finite labor pool.
So when teenagers say they aren’t being equipped with the skills they need, we should all listen.
Progress is being made. School computer studies, which once focused purely on productivity tools, are being expanded to include coding. And for its part Accenture is encouraging businesses to implement or take part in initiatives to cultivate digital skills.
And perhaps at last part of the solution will come from entrepreneurial companies offering tools that bridge fun, leisure and hard-nosed digital education. The UK’s poster child in this respect is the Raspberry Pi - a cheap programming tool designed to plug into a VGA - which in the summer of this year celebrated the sale of its 3 millionth unit.
Building The Internet Of Things
Playing broadly in the same digital education market and doubtless hoping to repeat the success of Raspberry Pi is SAM Lab, a London-based company selling a selection of kits that allow would-electrical engineers to get their first taste of constructing “Internet of Things” solutions.
SAM kits come with a components that include sensors, switches, lights and motors, all connected wirelessly by Bluetooth. These are hooked up to each other – for instance a sensor might trigger a light switch – via a PC/laptop application that handles all the necessary software coding. Importantly, however, the user can see the code on the screen and ultimately begin to write his or her own. According to founder Joachim Horn – an alumnus of Imperial College London - SAM provides a means for those without coding skills to play with Internet of things concepts and build working models, products and prototypes. “It enables people to get results quickly, even if they have no coding knowledge,” says Horn. “It provides a comprehensive set of learning tools.”
The product comes in three kit types. The most basic, SAM Learn, is aimed at getting 7-12 year olds to build things, while the SAM Maker and SAM Pro allow users to progress from the design of systems to the creation of full blown Internet of Things Products. Horn doesn’t necessarily make the distinction between educative and pro products, saying that the kits are as a resource for people of all ages to learn and build.
As the success of Raspberry Pi has shown, there is a real appetite for toys, tools and kits that teach IT and engineering skills. This is not only an opportunity for entrepreneurs but also another route for people of all ages to hone their skills. SAM products are currently available via a Kickstarter campaign
