February 27, 2005

     The technology gap has been a problem for a while now. The revolution in computers in the home and being used for more than just the wealthiest people has led to a fundamental change in the way people live and work. In today’s world it is nearly impossible to walk into any kind of office, school, business, store, restaurant, or factory without seeing some sort of computer. And many times there are multiple computers within a small space. Computers in the home are less common but are quickly becoming more apparent.

     The Computers In Our Future Centers in California have helped provide computer training to residents. With most businesses and institutions operating on the basis of computers for information access it is important that employees be knowledgeable of how to use computers. Many adults did not have computers when growing up. And most of them are essentially scared of the piece of technology that they see every day. My mother had never used a computer until she bought one. We both used a computer for the first time at the same time. However, my mother is twenty years older than I am. I was in school and it was easier for me to learn how to use the technology because I was still in an environment where I was learning constantly.

     Teaching computer skills is an invaluable asset in today’s society. It is almost a requirement that potential employees posses computers skills as a condition of employment. When my parents graduated from high school, they only needed a high school diploma to get a decent-paying job. Now one must have a college degree to hope to live a comfortable life. With the increase in computer use there has also been an increase in demand for more highly educated individuals. I feel that the increased demand for technology skills is a shift in our economy that is going to continue to take us to a more information and service economy. We have begun moving out of the production of goods economy. Since computers are capable of providing quicker access to larger amounts of information it is necessary that the workforce know how to use the technology that is so quickly becoming and instrumental part of our lives.