Technology Changes so fast Technology Changes so fast No wonder we can’t keep up! Agenda • Childhood memories of technology • Technology keeps getting better, faster, smaller • In the Home, TV, video, music…. • Then came IT – Information Technology • Speed of change is accelerating!! • How do we keep up? • We can and we will and its actually up to us!! 3 Childhood Memories of Technology 4 More Memories….. 5 Technology Advances The Jumbo Jet! 7 Information Technology • Computers • BIG (Mainframe) – Small (PC) – Mobile (Laptop) – Tiny(Smartphone) • Hardware & Software • Internet – World Wide Web – WWW • Searching for stuff – great fun! (for a while) • Email – the destroyer of the delivered handwritten letter • Online services – news, weather, sport, entertainment.. • e-commerce – eBay, Amazon, Apple, Netflix.. + 100K more • Social Media – Myspace, Bebo, Facebook, Twitter, + 100’s more!! Information Technology • Computers • BIG (Mainframe) – Small (PC) – Mobile (Laptop) – Tiny(Smartphone) • Hardware & Software • Internet – World Wide Web – WWW • Searching for stuff – great fun! (for a while) • Email – the destroyer of the delivered handwritten letter • Online services – news, weather, sport, entertainment.. • e-commerce – eBay, Amazon, Apple, Netflix.. + 100K more • Social Media – Myspace, Bebo, Facebook, Twitter, + 100’s more!! • ~ 1in 4 people globally (2B out of 7B)!! Information Technology • Computers • BIG (Mainframe) – Small (PC) – Mobile (Laptop) – Tiny(Smartphone) • Hardware & Software • Internet – World Wide Web – WWW • Searching for stuff – great fun! (for a while) • Email – the destroyer of the delivered handwritten letter • Online services – news, weather, sport, entertainment.. • e-commerce – eBay, Amazon, Apple, Netflix.. + 100K more • Social Media – Myspace, Bebo, Facebook, Twitter, + 100’s more!! • ~ 1in 4 people globally (2B out of 7B)!! • What next?? What’s coming at us next?? • iWatches – body sensors – ambulance arrives before you feel sick! • Flexible screens • Internet of things – everything is connected! • Smart cars, driverless cars • Drones • 3D Printing • Explosion of more and better software apps for your smartphone, tablet etc • Etc, etc, etc – (if you have time use Google to search for new technologies!!) 11 12 Take a breather! 13 Back down to earth • • We have a shortage of IT skills in Ireland, and across Europe, and in the US Numbers of young people studying IT and STEM has been falling over several years • • • • Lots of people today are IT savvy Lots of people work in IT sector If you are 60+, maybe less likely to be IT savvy There is a Digital Divide in society • • • • • • High unemployment putting many people at risk of poverty Disadvantaged people risk being left behind Digital Divide aligned to the Social Divide Government services are almost all online People who need to access services are least likely to be able to Few small businesses use IT to grow their business 14 What needs to be done • Government & business strategies & actions to close the Digital Divide • NFP/NGO/community/voluntary/charitable agencies/groups committed to IT training • in the community • Practical training including use of email, search, Skype, e-shopping, access to government services, online banking, Social Media, emergency services, getting the best out of their Smartphone etc.. • IT is not only a useful (actually essential) skill today in society & it is in high demand in industry (we currently have a shortage of IT skills) • IT training for employment (via 3rd level colleges, Adult education, VEC’s) is a major path to work (or back to work) e.g. FIT Ltd. • A lot of this is well in progress but I still feel there is room for more. • More innovative collaboration between all groups government, employers, educators, social agencies, communities, individuals… 15 What is happening A Irish Network for Digital Inclusion and Engagement Informs government at policy level Solutions to Digital Inclusion & Engagement Platform of collaboration, sharing best practices and resources Promote a unified voice 16 Introducing FIT Ltd. • • • • Fast Track to IT NFP organisation operational for 13 years Major government/business driven initiative Engaged in: – – – – IT training for employment IT training for Digital Inclusion Government initiatives e.g. Momentum Champions of new training schemes e.g. Associate Professionals/Apprenticeships – Researchers into new technology driven sectors e.g. Wind Turbines (and their maintenance) – Sharing our skills and experience across Europe 17 FIT European Projects/Activity • Long history of working on EC funded projects • Committed to sharing our experience & expertise across Europe. • Plan to propagate the FIT training for employment model across Europe • Engage with EC research group JRC on projects relating to measuring impact of work carried out by agencies engaged in social related activities • Active member of Telecentre Europe • Member of Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs • Actively seeking funds from EC for projects relating to IT training for employment. • Working on pilot project to provide IT support to SME’s through IT-upskilled job seekers. 18 19 20 Useful Links Company Link FIT Ltd. www.fit.ie INDIE www.digitalinclusion.ie Telecentre Europe http://www.telecentre-europe.org/ Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/grand-coalition-digital-jobs Digital Agenda for Europe https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en European Grants http://ec.europa.eu/contracts_grants/grants_en.htm Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion http://ec.europa.eu/social/home.jsp?langId=en If you want to contact me, please do so Manus Hanratty FIT Ltd. Phone 01 882 5570 Mobile 086 8112136 manushanratty@fit.ie LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/manus-hanratty/0/648/7aa 21 Thank You 22