What are technology skills? Learn about different technological skills, technology tools, and how improving technology skills might benefit you.
With the rise of digital technology and an increased need for technologically proficient people in almost any field, learning technology skills is very important. Technology tools like email, online chat, digital portfolios, electronic databases, and video chat have transformed how people interact with one another, with technology permeating nearly every industry.
Whether you鈥檙e a learner, a teacher, or working in an IT job, improving technology skills can help you complete your job more efficiently and navigate this digital world more effectively. What exactly qualifies as a 鈥渢echnological skill?鈥 Investigate why technology skills are essential to develop within specific job fields.
Technology skills are all the abilities that help you interact with the digital world around you. Being technologically skilled refers to proficiency in digital or technical media. In this modern age, anyone who wishes to conduct their work efficiently should brush up on their technological knowledge. Getting used to current technology will allow you to easily adjust to all the emerging technologies that will infiltrate our day-to-day lives in the coming decades.
Acquiring technology skills also makes you more appealing to employers and may help you obtain or maintain certain job positions. Examples of these vital skills range from simple word processing and emailing to data management and user experience (UX) skills.
Over the past few years, technology has managed to become a part of almost every job industry, and its development is continuing to grow and expand. It鈥檚, therefore, essential for us to start growing and learning too.
Within any job industry, a willingness to learn new skills, especially when it comes to technology, will ensure your work remains relevant, will make you more appealing for promotions or job growth opportunities, will allow you to become more confident and efficient within your current position, and will make you a valuable asset to any employer.
Technical skills like math aptitude, programming, or user experience design are skills that you can use in many kinds of work but may be limited to your industry, such as performing tasks specific to your job role. Technology skills are types of technical skills. Workplace skills, like communication, motivation, and problem-solving, aren鈥檛 specific to one job or industry and instead can help you improve your interpersonal relationships with your career and in other aspects of your life.
Mastering technology skills, from computer proficiency to digital marketing expertise, can enhance your career prospects and adaptability in a technology-driven world. Consider starting with one or more of the following in-demand skills.
Computer skills are technology skills that may involve anything from typing to knowing how to use Microsoft Office to coding. Being proficient with a computer has never been more important than it is in this day and age, with technology infiltrating every aspect of our lives, and a general knowledge of computer systems will appeal to employers across various industries.
Artificial intelligence is a type of technology that completes tasks that are normally done by humans in an effort to increase efficiency, productivity, and overall success rates. Knowing how to use or develop AI is very industry-specific and may be most useful if you plan to enter a computer science field, although various industries are adopting the technology, which increases the chances you鈥檒l encounter it in some form. According to Statista, the global artificial intelligence market will be worth $244.22 billion in 2025, and grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 26.6 percent to a projected market value of $1.01 trillion by 2031 [].
Learn about the potential of generative AI:
Data science and analysis involves organizing, analyzing, categorizing, and quantifying large sets of data. These skills require organization, logic, critical thinking, and a solid understanding of spreadsheets or other data software.
Coding is a means of communicating with computer systems. While that may sound strange, coding is how people develop computer systems, web programs, and even the apps we use on our phones daily. Learning how to code is like learning a foreign language and requires a significant amount of time and education. It involves becoming proficient with programming languages, including popular choices like Python, Java, and HTML. Coding may be helpful in fields like computer science, computer programming, application development, and other related fields.
Audiovisual (AV) editing and design refers to the conceptualization, production, editing, and distribution of digital video content. Knowing how to navigate AV design software is crucial for jobs like web content analysis, AV engineering or architecture, or AV project management. Roles in these areas require you to use web conferencing tools, create technical layouts for visual design, or even produce content.
User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) jobs focus on how the public will consume a product or media. This is relevant in the development of apps, websites, and social media accounts alike. Those who work with UX and UI may need a variety of technology skills, depending on what they do. Still, if you are interested in UX or UI, you should develop familiarity with computers and be proficient in visual or graphic design.