• More than half of teens say they would consider a career in tech, but perceived barriers and lack of career information persist
Gurugram, India, November 24, 2019 : New research published by CompTIA, the leading trade association for the global technology industry, finds that teenagers in India believe that technology is generally moving in a positive direction and is a force for good that will play an even greater role in their lives as they grow older.
The CompTIA report “International Youth Perspectives of Technology and Careers” reveals that 52 percent of the Indian teenagers surveyed would consider a career in technology, compared to 50 percent globally. Indian teens are generally positive about what a job in tech entails – solving problems, doing work that’s interesting and fun and earning a good salary.
But the survey also finds that barriers are still in place that may be keeping even more young people from looking at the technology field as a profession. More than 1,500 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 from 11 different countries participated in the online survey.
It’s encouraging to see that a sizeable percentage of young people see tech as a viable career option,” said Pradipto Chakrabarty, CompTIA’s India director. But it’s also quite apparent that we still have work to do to correct misperceptions about tech occupations and to provide career instruction and resources that reflect the reality of the 21st Century tech workforce.
For example, the data shows that 34 percent of Indian teenagers, compared to 30 percent globally, are of the opinion that tech careers are out of reach because they are too difficult to enter. Just over one-quarter (28 percent) of teens cite the lack of affordable schooling and training options; and 26 percent believe there are limited job opportunities in technology in their local area.
The report also confirms that gender bias is still present when it comes to career advice. Boys in India receive higher levels of encouragement from parents, teachers, peers and other to consider a career in tech than girls did (64 percent vs. 52 percent).
When teens were asked about specific career opportunities in tech, the most popular choices were designing video games, designing apps for smartphones, web design, and working in emerging technologies, such as robotics.
“These are all great career choices, but there are many more job roles in tech that provide the opportunity to earn a good salary, take on new and greater responsibilities and, most importantly, have a positive impact on society,” Chakrabarty said. “We need to expand our outreach to get that message out to the next generations of workers.”
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Among Indian teenagers, 58 percent generally believe that technology is moving in a positive direction compared to 8 percent who feel that tech is heading in a negative direction and 34 percent who are unsure. The corresponding global figures are 54 percent positive, 11 percent negative and 35 percent unsure.
Factors contributing to the positive feelings include the expectation that technology will continue to get faster, better and more feature rich; and offer more choices to meet the needs of just about everyone.
A majority of young people in India (60 percent) report seeing or hearing something about automating technologies and the future of work. They also expressed a degree of concern over the uncertainty of automation.
“Teens astutely anticipate the need for more training and hands-on experience in various technology disciplines to ensure that they are well positioned for the workplace of tomorrow,” said Anna Matthai, senior manager, research and market intelligence, CompTIA.
• To access a free copy of the full report “International Youth Perspectives of Technology and Careers” visit : here
