Are young people lacking in IT skills?

A new report from the BBC:

 

A lack of computer skills could be damaging the career chances of young people, a charity has warned.

 

More than one in 10 young people do not think their computer skills are good enough to use in the job they want, the Prince's Trust said. The research follows a £500,000 donation by hip hop star will.i.am to the Trust last year.

 

His donation will be used on projects to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills.

 

"I was intimidated by science and advanced maths," said the music star, who donated his fee for appearing on BBC talent show The Voice.

 

"When I say, 'Hey kids, you guys should want to be scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians...' I say that because I too am going to school to learn computer science.

 

Is it the case that young adults have computer skills in using word, excel and the MS Office packages, but when it comes to IT skills can’t program and write software or indeed fix components of a machine? Just how practical are the courses we offer pupils?

 

Read the article in full here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21747206

 

I have often wondered why we don’t have a practical IT course for pupils who want to actually take apart machines and fix them rather than use software. And not everyone is keen on programming, but some are interested in getting their hands dirty with a PC.