Employment

There is no denying that fact that everyday life has changed dramatically after ‘The Digital Revolution’, which saw a huge increase in the amount of people and work places that could gain access to computers and advanced technology, which changed the way in which people worked in schools and in offices. The digital revolution is sometimes also called the Third Industrial Revolution and marks the beginning of the Information Age.  Put simply, it is the change from electronic technology to digital technology.

 Most jobs nowadays use some form of ICT, from car mechanics using computerised analysis equipment to diagnose various faults to teachers, who are expected to be able to make use of interactive whiteboards and projectors to aid them in their teaching. Accountants have also faced a dramatic change in their profession with the Digital Revolution, as they used to just work with a calculator and a pencil, whereas they now use spreadsheets, dominated by  the new developments of ICT in the workplace.

If you were to look at a picture of an office in the 80’s, and then compared it to a picture of an office in 2013, the difference would be hugely noticeable. In a normal office 20 years ago, it’s likely that it would be very crowded, as there would be lots of filing cabinets, storing all the documents that we now save on a computer or hard drive. However, there would be no printers or computers, as everybody used typewriters. There would also be a lack of phones, there may be a few, but not one on every desk like there is nowadays.

In 2013, it is not unusual to walk into an office and see a computer with the latest software on every desk, connected to all the other computers with the use of a network, along with a phone, printer, tablet etc.  This is due to the massive developments in technology and the increase of the availability of it. All this new technology means that there is less need for things like filing cabinets etc. as everything can be stored on a hard drive.

                However, while the new developments in ICT can be seen as a good thing, making jobs easier and more efficient, they can also cause people to lose their jobs, as a computer may be able to do their job faster than they can, meaning  that they are no longer needed. Additionally, actually getting a job in the first place is getting more difficult as most employers expect up –to –date computer skills, some of which people do not have.