There is no such thing as a crystal ball. But we don’t need one to know that young people who are soon to enter the job market will need solid IT skills. It seems like one of the most obvious things to say, but is the problem really addressed in the right way?
- Global lack of talent vs poor education – an increasingly pressing problem
- Organisations that help youth develop their skills
- Grabbing an opportunity
Today, we take a look at a variety of organizations that assist young people in honing their computing abilities. Let’s look at their goals and actions to see how they affect the future generation of workers.
Global talent shortage vs low education: a growing issue
In PwC’s 23rd Annual Global CEO Survey, 74% of CEOs expressed worry about the lack of crucial skills needed to expand their companies. However, according to a UNICEF survey, up to 31% of young people feel the skills and training that are provided to them don’t match their job objectives. What do their goals entail? Being competitive in the employment market typically entails having the necessary technical abilities to work on IT projects.
It is quite difficult to obtain a job in today’s increasingly digitalized environment where employees wouldn’t need to use any sort of technology.
The necessary abilities might be as complicated as coding or as basic as operating a laptop. However, as they all require some level of digital literacy, young people should continue to work in this area so that, when the time comes, they can demonstrate their talents to employers.
organizations that support young people’s skill development
Rarely are schools well prepared across the world to teach young people IT skills. This is why a lot of worldwide and local corporations and organizations frequently elect to create initiatives that assist young people in becoming better equipped to the cutthroat employment market. Let’s examine a few of them to see what they are capable of.
Service Year Alliance
An American non-profit organization called Service Year Alliance seeks to alter lives by giving young people access to opportunities. Youth can get practical experience and the professional skills they need to begin their careers by participating in a service year of paid, full-time employment.
Service Year Alliance enhances the likelihood that young people will find employment at the conclusion of their academic careers by enabling them to gain meaningful work experience as soon as they can and helps them better prepare for the fiercely competitive labor market.
Code Your Dreams
An interesting start-up, Code Your Dreams, aims to enable marginalized youngsters to use coding to tackle societal issues. By teaching kids to code, they want to create the next generation of innovators.
No matter where they go, they teach children about the steps involved in creating an application, starting with ideation and design thinking and continuing through UI/UX, programming, product management, and delivery. Their educational events may be planned in kindergartens and high schools.
Their main offering is a weekly after-school program that teaches computer science, design, and entrepreneurship through the perspective of social justice. In 2018, the company was established in the United States. Over 5000 pupils have utilized it globally since its introduction.
We connect the dots
A New York-based education non-profit company called We Connect the Dots gives underrepresented groups and young people the chance to participate in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) experiential learning programs. The software is created. to help individuals and young people get ready for entering or returning to the changing workplace in America.
Laurie Carey, a businesswoman and former Microsoft employee, launched We Connect The Dots to solve the digital divide in American communities. Together, Laurie Carey Consulting and Nebula Academy, Ms. Carey’s for-profit organization, operate We Connect the Dots.
Long Island, the Greater New York Metro Area, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, California, Illinois, Virginia, and Iowa are currently served by the organization.In order to guarantee that participants in their programs have transferable skills that are prepared to be of immediate benefit to employers, their programs are built using a metacognitive pedagogy approach in combination with industry relevance.
i.c. stars
An intriguing American organization called i.c.stars concentrates on providing chances for neglected populations. By identifying genuine talent, developing it, and placing it to use, it seeks to build a connection between young adults and the computer industry.
Participants in i.c.stars programs for youth learn by doing while using the coding, business, and leadership training they get along the way. Additionally, by working with i.c.stars, they expand their professional network, which is crucial in the current, fiercely competitive market.
The outcomes? People who choose to begin their journey with i.c.stars become IT professionals that earn up to 300% more than they did previously and work mostly as business analysts or application developers. They frequently also turn into change-advocates since they have seen firsthand how helpful it can be. should seize the chance to learn something new.
Taking advantage of a situation
Brianne “Bri” Caplan, the creator and executive director of Code Your Dreams, will conclude by taking the floor. She once remarked:
It’s also wonderful that there are institutions that aid young people in finding their professional niche and honing their abilities.