Why Kids Should Be Introduced to Technology
Kids are growing up in a new era. An era where almost every facet of their lives are effected by technology. Gone are the old wooden blocks I used to play with as a toddler and now replaced by plastic blocks that have built-in sensors that trigger lights and sounds. It’s fascinating to see kids learn their ABC’s by these technology-enhanced blocks. My blocks never did that. I have also seen 9-year-old kids code robots and build websites. I was never that skilled at that age. It’s impressive to see but should kids be introduced to technology at such a young age? My answer is simply yes.
Our society is quickly becoming more reliant on technology. A fair bit of my office communication is digital. I email, call, text and now Slack coworkers, clients and partners to share and obtain information. This will be no different for the kids growing up today when they enter the workforce. If anything their jobs will be more reliant on technology than my job is right now. For kids of today to be successful in their upcoming careers they need to be able to utilize and interact with technology. Their future boss will expect them to operate a virtual reality headset and print items with a 3D printer. That technology is right around the corner so it’s important to get kids playing with these devices now or they can suffer a skill deficiency when entering the workforce.
You also have to look at the popularity of tech-focused jobs like programmers, robotic engineers, 3D designers. Companies are starving for talented individuals with these types of skillsets and are willing to pay. And as our lives become more dependent on technology the demand for these skillsets will grow steadily. When kids start taking high school, college and university classes these career paths need to be a serious option when sitting down and talking to your kids about their future. If not, we’ll see more companies look outside of North America to fill a skill deficiency.
At the Innovation Centre, we have been trying our best to get kids exposed to different types of tech careers and skills. Tech Week at our local schools just happened last week where a few hundred kids had the opportunity to meet a local tech professional and get excited about technology. We also run a Tech Kids program throughout the school year and in the summer where kids get hands-on exposure to coding their first program, web design and robotics.
So please parents, teachers, family members, start introducing kids to technology. It can be as simple as going to https://scratch.mit.edu/ and having them start to code. Or even getting them a Leap Pad for Christmas. Whatever it is, their future in this new technology-advanced world depends on it.
By: James Ellard