It’s true that when the wind of change blows, some will remain adamant to adapt, while others will embrace it saying, “change is the only constant thing in life.” From all indications, development comes to a place if the people that dwell therein embraces it. Without a doubt, the development of a nation depends largely on the improvement of its youth, who are the leaders of tomorrow. But for such a development to be effectual, it has to start today.
In this technology era, a number of challenges, most of which are beyond mere expression, confront the youth. And judging from the direction the world is going, it may not be long before anyone who has not IT know-how will be left to wallow in the dungeon of darkness. Perhaps one would not be wrong to say that the time is now, since virtually all facets of today’s life are IT-driven.
Some States in Nigeria (e.g. Ebonyi State) is classified as very backward in virtually everything: in academics, infrastructure, and technology, among others. This bad rhythm can be changed by the youth to whom accusing fingers are, more often than not, pointed for their refusal or rather sluggishness in embracing the technological realities of our time. Surprisingly, some still resort to the Stone Age means of communication rather than going digital.
Lack of basic IT skills by the youth has eaten deep into the cells of many states in Nigeria. It has in many ways, deprived them of golden opportunities, and will continue to do so if mitigating measures aren’t taken to address the gaffe. To mention, ignorance or poor knowledge of Information Technology has led to an alarming increase in the rate of unemployment among the youth, even as many are tagged “unemployable.” Even those who claim to be graduates, without IT knowledge, have been entrapped in this mess, as most organizations nowadays resort to modern technologies in their operations, and can only engage the service of those that can fit in to the trend, which these graduates lack. Owing to the fact that these companies use sophisticated tools, which require knowledge of trending technology, many youth cannot function in the system. Of course, employers are always weary of spending huge amount of money to train an IT illiterate who needs job, when the money could be used to hire qualified persons or for more productive ventures. Against this backdrop, they hire those who are already trained. The fact is− no employer can knowingly acquire a liability, making IT illiterates not more than a liability and thus, waste resources if employed. Little wonder investors avoid investing in places where there are poor human resources−places like Ebonyi state.
IT ignorance confines youth to the cubicle of primitivism. There is nothing as bad as living in a world that you know nothing about. Living without being abreast of the happenings around you is equivalent to being in a tunnel with no light at its end. With the coming of Information Technology, life is made easier for all and sundry, and it spiteful to intentionally deprive oneself of such a golden opportunity.
The world truly is a global village and the people in it should be globally minded. The wave of information technology has really redefined and reshaped the world, and provided a sense of direction for our youth. There are more to schooling and certificates; our world has moved on, and to still be useful, we have to upgrade to the latest version−the age of Information Technology (IT).
