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Nearly half of teens say they would consider a career in tech, but perceived barriers and lack of career information persist

Toronto – New research published by CompTIA, the leading trade association for the global technology industry, finds that teenagers in Canada 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 47 percent of the Canadian teenagers surveyed would consider a career in technology, compared to 50 percent globally. Canadian 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[1]  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 Al Nasturzio, CompTIA’s business development manager for Canada. “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 21^st Century tech workforce.”

For example, the data shows that 37 percent of Canadian teenagers, compared to 30 percent globally, are of the opinion that tech careers are out of reach because they are too difficult to enter. Slightly more than one-quarter of teens (27 percent) cite the lack of affordable schooling and training. One-fourth of teens are of the opinion that they lack the preparation and exposure to technology in high school or college that would prepare them for a career in technology.

The report also confirms that gender bias is still present when it comes to career advice. Boys in Canada receive higher levels of encouragement from parents, teachers, peers and other to consider a career in tech than girls did (51 percent vs. 36 percent).

When teens were asked about specific career opportunities in tech, the most popular choices were designing video games, designing apps for mobile phones, 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,” Nasturzio said. “We need to expand our outreach to get that message out to the next generations of workers.”

Interacting with Technology

Among Canadian teenagers, 49 percent generally believe that technology is moving in a positive direction compared to 12 percent who feel that tech is heading in a negative direction and 39 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 innovation and technology breakthroughs will further improve lives; that technology will continue to get faster, better and more feature rich; and that by providing more choices would offer something to meet the needs of just about everyone.

A majority of young people (70 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  https://comptiacdn.azureedge.net/webcontent/docs/default-source/research-reports/comptia-international-youth-technology-and-career-perceptions.pdf?sfvrsn=f0dfb41e_2.

For all the latest news from CompTIA visit https://www.comptia.org/newsroom.

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About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 50 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit www.comptia.org to learn more.

Contact:
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
630-678-8468
sostrowski@comptia.org­