Essential Tech Skills Every Young Person Should Learn

Today’s youngsters are tomorrow’s leaders. What they learn today will help them become more capable and accountable in future. An employability study showed that the percentage of India’s employable youth has increased from 33.9% in 2014 to 51.3% in 2024. Thanks to smartphone penetration and dwindling PC prices, technology has become more accessible. Today’s organisations are exploring newer technologies to be more productive and innovative. Therefore, they choose to employ people with new-age tech skills. 

Let us look at a few essential technology skills today’s youth should possess.

Digital Communication

Every form of communication is digitised and even automated! Today’s youth must possess the skills to present their ideas powerfully in different channels. Be it on WhatsApp, email, chat, or social media, they must know how to craft the right message appropriately. When youngsters become professionals, they are expected to use Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or other video conferencing tools. Project management tools like Jira, Trello, Basecamp, and Asana are also extensively used across teams. Hence, will eventually learn the tools used by their respective organizations. 

Data Analysis

Everybody receives a lot of information in different formats and from multiple sources. The youth, in particular, proactively handle more data thanks to their active participation in groups and social media channels. Data analysis involves the use of several tools, processes, and languages. Excel and Google Sheets are basic data analysis tools. Those opting for a job involving data analysis and visualisation may use Tableau, Power BI, and other AI tools. However, the choice would depend on the choice of the concerned organisation. Today’s youth should explore new tools.  

Cloud Computing

Computing devices and software are more affordable and accessible. Cloud computing has made this possible by creating a virtual IT infrastructure. Servers, storage, databases, and software are now hosted on the internet, so people can access everything anywhere on any device. 

The youth must learn to make use of cloud storage and computing technologies. When they join an organisation, they would be expected to work on Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, or AWS. Their usage level would depend on the organization’s adoption level. Whatever is said and done, cloud computing has undoubtedly taken over on-premise computing.

Artificial intelligence

When it comes to research and content generation, almost everybody knows how to use Google or ChatGPT. However, more AI tools, like Gemini and Copilot, have made these tasks even easier. Anybody can generate text, images, audio, and video without specialized knowledge! 

Since AI is widely adopted by workplaces, the youth have to keep abreast of emerging trends. The regular productivity and communication tools are already getting new AI features. Those who want to dive deeper into this burgeoning realm can learn to use advanced AI tools or take up courses in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Cybersecurity

Today’s individuals and organizations store sensitive information on multiple devices. This practice also makes these devices vulnerable. Hackers are proficient enough to steal and misuse this information. So, today’s youth must wield the basic know-how to use and safeguard their information.

Computing networks, systems, and programs have to be protected. Also, people have to be aware of phishing and other social engineering tactics used by hackers. The youth must learn the best practices of data protection, like using strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Advanced users and techies can also take specialized courses in information security, network security, ethical hacking, and more. 

Modern organizations seek well-rounded professionals with soft skills, problem-solving abilities, and leadership qualities. They also expect their employees to know the tools and processes they currently use and plan to deploy. Therefore, young people must possess the right tech skills to be relevant tomorrow. Digital communication, data analysis, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity are just a few options available to modern youth. The world of technology is an ever-expanding horizon that witnesses a sea change every day!