The young men and women who make up Generation Z expect
and demand that their mobile devices work seamlessly and are integrated into
every aspect of their lives. The problem is, new data suggest they have little
interest in making information technology a career.
According to a survey conducted by the Computing
Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), 70% of teen and young adult
respondents said they “love technology,” but only 19% of those aged 18-24 said they
were interested in an IT career. In addition, 21% of those aged 13-17 said they
were not interested in IT as a career.
“On the surface, it seems like the affinity for
technology is a great thing for the future workforce, since technology will be
so intertwined with business,” the CompTIA report said. “However, most students
are not eyeing a career in IT as a result of their technology learnings.”
The lack of interest is particularly troublesome for
colleges and universities that are increasing the use of technology to handle
everything from enrollment to graduation rates, according to a report in eCampus News. Stanford has even made a national plea for experts in the
field of data science, and innovators are creating departments on campus focused
on data science, and IT management.
While
the survey of Generation Z proved disappointing, there may be good news on the
horizon. A January online survey from The Harris Poll found that while most parents of K-12 students discourage their kids from becoming
teachers in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) subjects, 50%
identified engineering as the career they would most prefer their children
pursue.
