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The Importance of IT to people

There has been an explosion in the use of Information Technology in the past decade.  IT, which consists of computers, software and associated equipment, has become commonplace in offices and homes.  For example the Office for National Statistics say that access to the Internet at home rose from 9% of households in 1998 to 52% by 2004.  It will be much higher now if the same trend has continued.  The current Government has recognised the importance of IT, and has spent time and money since 1997 on schemes to increase access to IT, and to increase the IT skills of citizens.  IT skills are now important enough to be considered as a third basic skill alongside numeracy and literacy.

However, whatever the Government thinks about the importance of IT skills, it is people’s opinions of that importance which will determine what they do about their own skill levels.  Early research from the Learners’ Forum and the Hull learning Attitude Survey (see Learning to Listen, Listening to Learn) suggested that people thought IT skills were important, as they were keen to go on IT courses.  A majority of people said that they wanted to improve their computer skills, and of those who planned to do more learning, the biggest group wanted to learn IT skills at some level.

Getting IT Right confirmed the importance of IT skills to people when respondents were asked about the issue directly.

As can be seen from the results above, the response was largely positive.  Nearly half of all respondents saw IT skills as ‘very important’, and a further fifth saw them as ‘important’.  Only a minority of 13% saw IT skills as ‘not very important’ or ‘not important’ to them.

The results were similar regardless of gender, age or status.  Both men and women were positive about IT skills, and had similar views.  Across most of the age groups there was no great difference in their feelings regarding IT skills.  The only issue to note was that those approaching, or past, retirement age were less likely to see such skills as important to them.  In terms of status, those who were unemployed placed less importance on IT skills than those who were employed.

When the reasons for their views were explored, it became clear that even those who don’t think IT skills are important still appear to see them as useful and to use IT for some things in their lives.  For most people, then, the issue is about degrees of use.  Some use IT in all areas of their lives, and some only for specific tasks.  For example, a respondent saying that IT skills were ‘very important explained that “Modern life and work is IT based and a good knowledge is very necessary.  Without the IT skills that I have I would not be able to do my job.”  Another who said IT skills were ‘neither important nor unimportant’ wrote that “[I] find it useful to know basic things.” Lastly, a respondent who said IT skills were ‘not very important’ still said that “It’s useful to have computer skills…”

It’s clear then that people do view IT skills as important.  However, this does not necessarily mean that they will want to go on an IT course.  For some, barriers to going on an IT course stop them from enrolling on one.  These can be issues such as cost, and the location or time of a course, or just a feeling that they can better improve their skills through other means, such as teaching themselves or learning from friends or family.  However, the most important thing is that the message about the importance of such skills to people is getting through.