Generation Y Finds its Place in IT
CIOs who were once considered technology gurus by their coworkers can expect much different treatment from Generation Y workers who feel they are very proficient with IT tools, according to a national study conducted by IT World Canada and Harris/Decima.
Approximately 69 per cent of the more than 1,000 people surveyed in Freedom to Compute: The Empowerment of Generation Y said they regard themselves as highly proficient computer users. This was particularly true among those between 18 and 29 with a postgraduate degrees, 80 per cent of whom said they were highly proficient. Men also tended to rate their IT expertise highly at 77 per cent. Those who earn more than $100,000 annually thought they had a good grasp of computing hardware and software compared to those who earned less than $50,000.
The Freedom to Compute study involved Toronto-based research firm Harris/Decima surveying Generation Y workers about their attitudes towards technology. The results were presented to focus groups of CIOs and CEOs to explore the generation gap among older IT workers and future business leaders. The report said the issue around IT proficiency sparked a lot of debate in the discussion sessions.
