‘In their hands’

On the heels of an announcement that global tech giant Meta intends to make significant investments into artificial intelligence (AI)-powered humanoid robots, one local information technology (IT) professional is adding his voice to the call for Jamaican students to position themselves for greater opportunities in digital technology.

Pointing to what he describes as an ‘explosion in the digital age’, Daniel Bruce, the IT manager at Access Financial Services, says a career in tech has never been more attractive.

“Are we doing enough as a people to ensure that our students can take full advantage of the opportunities that are available now, and those that will continue to emerge? Maybe not. Yes, government can do more, but it has to go further than that. We need a whole mindset shift, starting with parents of school age children getting ready to decide what career path to take. Parents give their kids phones. Many of them have really good phones, but most of them lack the mindset to use the phones for something other than doomscrolling. The phones in their hands can be used in a more progressive way,” said Bruce.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, disclosed on February 14 that it would lay an undersea cable stretching across five continents to carry data, including for developing AI. Other global corporations such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft have all indicated plans to boost spending on AI, with Amazon reportedly planning to shell out more than US$100 billion on capital expenditure this year.

SLOWER IDEAL

Noting these incredible advancements and other rapid changes in the global tech landscape, Bruce says the local response has been slower than ideal, adding that the education system is just beginning to wake up to the possibilities of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

“Those of us who see and understand the changes and the potential impact should be doing more to encourage our young people to tap into what’s happening. I use every chance I get to advise young people, and to guide university students and the interns who pass through Access Financial every year. From where I sit, a degree in computer science is a great conversation starter, it might win you an interview. But that degree would carry more weight if it were paired with the right certification, like cloud computing and networking certificates, especially if you’re looking at jobs overseas. Go the route of certification because it makes you more job-ready,” asserted Bruce.

ENGAGE IN MENTORSHIP

Beyond his portfolio responsibilities at the microfinance company, the 31-year-old embraces opportunities to speak with young people and engage in mentorship in the hope that they will grab hold of what’s available to them and avoid pitfalls. With a background in tech and a double master’s degree in project management and business administration, Bruce believes that tertiary education programmes have value but should be tailored to better suit the demands and changing needs of the workplace. “Most of what I learned in university didn’t translate in the world of work. There was a disconnect between what I was doing on the job and what we were taught. It was valuable, but based on how fast things are changing, students need to learn new skills that will help them adapt and keep up with what’s happening,” he argued.

Bruce, who has had a lifelong love for IT, started fixing computers while he was still a student at St Elizabeth Technical High School. As a youngster growing up in Malvern, then Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, he was drawn to the field “because it allows for continuous learning and keeps me on my toes. It fits with my mantra – There’s always something you can try, never give up. We were poor growing up. I will forever be grateful to friends like Shadane Bucknor who helped me with lunch money. Fixing computers brought in income so I could go to school more often. Technological advancements have created countless opportunities for youngsters and taking full advantage is the only way for some to make it out of poverty.”