The World Needs…Tech-Savvy Learners

Parents, staff and students of ACS International School Egham, heard about the positives and negatives of the internet and careers in the tech sector, from Susie Hargreaves OBE, CEO of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and Ryan Hartman, ACS Egham alumnus and software engineer at Microsoft US, at a virtual event titled ‘The World Needs…Tech-Savvy Learners’. Susie and Ryan drew upon their experience of working in the technology industry and discussed the knowledge and awareness that children and young people need to protect themselves from the dark side of the internet, and how they can prepare themselves for an exciting career in tech.

The event, the latest in the ACS ‘The World Needs’ series, was opened by Susie Hargreaves OBE, who spoke about the work the IWF does to eliminate child sexual abuse imagery online. Susie discussed the foundation’s collaboration with some of the biggest tech companies in the world, which IWF works closely with to help ensure their platforms are safe to use. Addressing parents, she stressed the need to understand the platforms children and young people are networking on, and to engage in open and transparent conversations about the harms they may face online.

“What we have to do is make sure we keep pace with the changing nature of technology and the new apps and platforms that are coming online all the time. And this is exciting…but the downside is that there is more sharing of illegal material.”

– Susie Hargreaves;

Ryan Hartman spoke of his journey from ACS Egham graduate, to software engineer at Microsoft US. Ryan shared advice with students on what they can do to do to prepare themselves for a successful career in the tech industry:

 

Grow your network

Building a network across the industry and keeping in contact with industry professionals is one of the most important things students can do to prepare themselves for a career in technology. Work experience is the simplest way to build an understanding of how the complex tech industry works and can assist in developing a strong network in the tech sector that could lead to a number of future career opportunities and collaborations.

 

Understand how tech is used

For students to develop skills ready for a career in tech they must engage with technology in their everyday lives as much as possible. From simple daily usage to exploring more complex systems, such as coding, it is important to understand the role technology plays in our lives. Students will benefit from understanding how they and others around them interact with technology, spotting where future developments can be made.

 

Learn and explore

Where possible, take lessons in computing or use free online resources to learn. By taking the time to learn, students have the freedom to explore different areas of the industry to refine their skills and gain an understanding of the area of technology they have a talent for and interest in. Technology is a multi-faceted career and students have the option to work in any sector they’re interested in. Taking the time to learn and play with technology available is paramount in developing skills required to begin their careers.

 

‘The world needs…tech-savvy learners’ hosted by ACS Egham was the third event in the ‘The World Needs’ series hosted by ACS International Schools.