It is estimated that there are nearly 200 companies in the world, and in the digital society we live in, I'd say all of these companies need some form of tech help in order to successfully compete. Companies need websites, data management systems, IT and communication systems, etc. With the relatively rapid growth of this industry over the past 20 years, we lag behind in terms of getting the current workforce educated for the skills that are needed today. Younger generations? Well, they are digital natives, so they tend to be more competent and confident in these areas. But, they aren't the ones running companies TODAY.
There are a lot of coding schools, free courses and tech trainings popping up everyday. This is good news. But, are they accessible to people? By accessible, I mean by all the factors that the average person considers when considering something like tech training: cost, time commitment, intimidation, etc. There are so many programming languages, how do people know what to seek training in? Front-end, back-end? The average person doesn't know what this means. The tech industry is like it's own country--it has it's own language and own culture. We need to make it more approachable for people.
Companies should allow time during the work week for employees to take tech classes. Companies and tech schools can create partnerships that create wins for all 3 parties. An employee that believes that their company supports their professional development is going to be a happier and more productive worker. By making training more accessible, approachable, and supported, we can go a long way to having the tech skills that are needed for today's companies.