Today, the impact of technology on society is being experienced more than it was in past years. Billions of people globally use technology every day. Rapid technological change is a life-changing phenomenon whose transformational effects can be felt worldwide.
Presently, it’s estimated that 65.6% of the population worldwide has access to the Internet. However, the level of technological connectivity differs in terms of bandwidth, price, and efficiency. For instance, developing countries lag while developed regions reap the benefits of reliable technological connectivity.
The Positive Impact of Technology on Society
Statistics show that technological advancement, especially the internet, has positively impacted humankind. People are more connected today, and online businesses operate more smoothly.
However, some argue that there is a negative impact of technology on society, where technology has caused alienation and isolation among people. But that’s not true, since many people can now connect more using online channels without being limited by geographical barriers. Also, many people can work as digital nomads while virtually keeping in touch with their colleagues from anywhere in the world.
With many people embracing technology, virtual social life is becoming a reality. Today, people spend most of their time online on social networks. They use social networking sites for personal and business interactions.
People prefer interacting through social networking platforms instead of physical meetings; hence institutions are looking for ways to reach them. Both government and private institutions invest significantly to get online social network groups.
What are the Technological Gaps?
Embracing technology has not been without challenges. For instance, 63% of recruiters say there is a huge shortage of skilled personnel.
Notably, the digital revolution is growing faster, technological needs are continually changing, and finding enough trained workforce to meet the demand is difficult.
Employers are faced with the challenge of sourcing digitally skilled personnel due to these primary reasons;
- The constant technology change: Technology is evolving, and it’s difficult for all trained digital experts to keep up with the changes. For instance, some technical skills in demand ten years ago are no longer needed.
- Miscommunication: Technology remains one of the tricky areas, and many employers find it challenging even to formulate a simple job description. Ambiguous job descriptions and the inability to spot the required talent make filling the existing vacancies difficult.
- Traditional organizational structures do not support smooth digitization. Most organizational structures are not supportive of the digital revolution. Conventional organization operations make it difficult to have a smooth workflow when new changes are implemented.
Importantly, these gaps can translate to many opportunities in the digital job market such as social media marketing jobs. It’s possible to fill in the gaps and create job opportunities for many people and enable organizations to benefit from the digital revolution fully.
The Role of Different Players in Bridging the Technological Gap
Education institutions, employers, and students have important roles in bridging the digital skills gap. Below are some practical steps applicable to any institution and individuals interested in bridging the holes in the digital industry.
- Invest in learning advanced technical skills. Since technology is continually changing, students must acquire relevant and advanced skills.
Education institutions must ensure their curriculum is current to equip learners with the most applicable skills.
Moreover, high-learning institutions should establish partnerships with employers to ensure their learners get the practical and relevant experiences required in the job market.
- Collaborations between the key players. Partnerships between employers, students, and educational institutions will bridge the miscommunication gap.
Learning institutions will develop relevant curricula for learners to ensure they are equipped with up-to-date skills.
Also, employers will have platforms where they can interact with appropriate professionals to get the necessary basic skills for emerging technological trends. These skills will help them articulate their digital needs better. Also, the basic knowledge will help them source the best talent.
- Teamwork. The traditional organizational structures do not support smooth technology changes. There is a need for restructuring in the organization to embrace smooth digitalization. All the staff should be equipped with the necessary technical skills to ensure uninterrupted workflow even after introducing advanced digital facilities.
The Bottom Line
Given the benefits of technology in enhancing social interactions and business operations, the digital revolution will continue to take place quickly.
Therefore, researchers and developers will continue to study and research the technology impact on society and use the information to develop better devices and software to support the growing need for technology. Also, employers, learning institutions, and learners will be required to collaborate with others to be at par with the changing technological landscape.
