Technology has been one of the most misunderstood concepts in the world, especially in Africa. Most people find it very intimidating and challenging, especially because they do not know the space. They see the term “tech bro” and “tech sis” as intriguing as they are considered more knowledgeable and experienced in tech. However, this is not false, but it is not also the truth. We at Techuncode decided to clear these misconceptions about the tech space by bringing to your knowledge the truth about technology, especially the industry.
One of the major highlights of the tech space was when the pandemic occurred in 2020. Everyone was forced to stay home and look for other alternatives to keep their lives busy. During that period, the world had the highest record of internet penetration compared to years before. Many people opted for social and digital platforms to carry out their businesses. If your business doesn’t have an online presence, you will surely miss out on a lot of profit. This forced many businesses to build an online presence, and many people started looking for online jobs.
Many skills began to grow and come into the limelight during this period, especially tech skills. Some people wanted to start in tech but were too scared because of their misconceptions. However, they aren’t true.
Here are some misconceptions about technology.
Tech is difficult
The truth is that tech is anything that makes life easy, which makes the term far from complicated. Technology is far from the big things or innovations. It goes as low as switching on and off the TV set, plugging your phone into a charger or controlling the TV with a remote.
Technology is around us and has been intertwined with our way of life. Many things that were normal centuries ago might seem abnormal to us in recent times. The world has evolved around technology.
Although this misconception is often related to tech skills or jobs, because you do not know a field doesn’t make it difficult. Once you learn a skill and practice, you will discover your conception was wrong.
It is for people with a certain degree.
Entering the tech space does not require a certain degree from you. Employers in the tech space are looking for people with relevant skills, not certification or skills. Yes, there are advantages to being educated.
However, it is not a yard for a person to be qualified for a tech role. To enter the get space, or land your dream tech job, learn a skill, build a good resume around it and begin to sell your skill.
Many people in the tech space today left fields entirely unrelated to technology. And now they are doing great after learning a skill.
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The tech involves coding and programming.
Technology goes beyond programming and coding; the space is broad. It is included in every aspect of life, so various jobs and skills are required in the space. Here are some tech skills asides from coding and programming; content writing, UI/UX, product development, project management, video editing, digital marketing, technical writing, etc. There are even non-tech jobs that are needed in the tech space. So this conception is utterly false about the tech space.
Tech is boring
This conception of technology is hilarious. Social platforms and the media we share online are a result of technology. And if there were nothing like technology, these platforms would not exist.
Technology is not limited to one spectrum; it goes beyond a role, skill or job. Technology has become our lifestyle.
For me to be in the space, I need years of experience
You can enter the tech industry within days, weeks or months. All you need to decide is what you want or where you can fit in. The industry is broad and can take as many people as it keeps advancing.
Interestingly, more skills and roles are developing from the space, which gives more room for people to enter the industry easily. Examples of some skills are social media influencers and tech influencers. They maximise social platforms to help businesses generate income for themself.
Tech is for male
Grateful that the world has revolved around this, but there are still few people who think a particular gender needs to be in the tech space. They have closed their eyes to learning a tech skill due to their beliefs. The male gender populates skills like programming, graphic designing, and coding, resulting from this false ideology.
This brings me to the next misconception.
It is demanding
Due to this concept, many women prefer to opt for other skills that are not tech. As it is assumed, the women are the caretakers of their home. They will need to sacrifice their time and themself more than the men. And so many women run from tech roles. But this is not true. No job role doesn’t have its demands, but tech roles are no different. You can choose the system of work you want for your skillset that will work for you.
They are not sustainable.
This is not true about technology. Infact, it offers several work options to you as they are in-demand skills and not bound to a place. A person can decide to work remotely by freelancing; a person can choose to work in-house in a proper organisation. Tech roles are flexible, and they don’t require your physical attention in a place. This has even allowed for international jobs. A person can work in a country where they are not living.
It is expensive to learn.
Some platforms offer free tech courses that enable you to learn for free. And there are the paid ones which vary in price depending on what you can afford. Tech skills are like every other skill you must learn and sometimes pay for. There are now even platforms people generate content for the skill you want to learn. You can find some content on YouTube for free, Hubspot. And even some startups offer free courses for people to learn tech skills.
Implication for you reading
If you are reading this, we hope we have been able to clear some misconceptions you have about technology. And we have been able to give light to what technology is all about and who can enter space. Should you have further questions or suggestions to offer, please share them with us in the comment section.
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