At the Age Diversity Forum, we have previously discussed the world of technology. We have focused on the importance of age diversity in its workforce and the potential ageism challenges new technology might face. However, we have not truly expanded on the skills necessary to work within the industry.

There is a general preconception that older generations cannot work or may struggle to keep up in the industry. With its ever-changing and constantly evolving environment, even younger generations are struggling to meet the requirements with there being a skills gap between what is needed and what graduates have – often university courses are already out of date by the time a student finishes. This means it can be a daunting industry for older generations to tackle.

“most people within the industry will have to learn new technologies all the time, regardless of their age”

Whilst there are some technologies and software which don’t update quite as often. For example, programming languages have not varied much. “C” was created in the 1970s and has not changed much from its initial creation. This means it is easier to learn than perhaps other parts of tech as there are many resources to help you learn and they have been steadfast for many years.

This all comes down to the common phrase “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. But does age matter? Studies have shown that there is no evidence that older adults have less ability to learn. It is highly encouraged to keep learning new skills as it can help how the brain processes information and improves our memory. It also can bring increased satisfaction into our lives.

A big factor in learning a new skill is your mindset. Resilience is important as practice does make perfect. While we may have a natural affinity for some skills, there is also the capacity to teach our brains things we may initially find difficult. Through practice, we discover ways to break down problems in a way that makes sense to us. This is easier said than done. In truth, the average age of a tech worker is 38 compared to 43 outside of the industry. This can be a huge mental barrier for an older person wanting to enter that world as they may feel too old. However, it is important to remember the fast-changing world of the industry and remind yourself that most people within the industry will have to learn new technologies all the time, regardless of their age.

Older people are often more patient and diligent with better-developed soft skills such as time management and problem-solving. This works in their favour as it means they can be more efficient in their learning process, helping them potentially keep up with their younger counterparts.

There are many different online courses and resources to help along the process. LinkedIn has its often set of courses for any industry through LinkedIn Learning – these are created by accredited users and are an easy way to pick up new skills at home. FutureLearn also covers a wide range of topics. More focused on digital skills there are courses on Udemy and also the ClickStart programme from the IOC. These both focus on helping break down the skills gap in the tech industry and help people get the skills that more and more businesses are requiring but people aren’t learning from their education. These are all online courses so do not require you to leave your house. It also means that you can take them at your own pace and work them into your schedule.

To conclude, we believe that all generations have the capacity to learn and adapt to new situations and opportunities. One might argue that younger generations bring a fresh perspective, whilst older generations recognise ways to apply new thinking to past experiences. Together, such combined knowledge and know-how have the potential to create great innovation. Especially when it comes to the tech industry. With the ever-growing digital skills gap there is an increasing push to try and encourage more people to gain skills due to the rising demand from businesses. The internet has made this even more accessible to people of all ages through the variety of courses we previously mentioned. It is important to remember to have resilience and a determined mindset. It may not always be completely natural to everyone, but persistence and practice will help. How else can we help older people in the tech industry? How can we help bridge the digital skills gap for all ages?

 

Sonya Knight | ADF Comms Team

Read our previous editorial here

To respond and/or for more information, please contact the ADF Comms Team at: [email protected]