The digital era has given young Telugu people, despite their socio-economic standing, greatly enhanced access to education and know how. This combined with the increasing ownership of smartphones and access to Internet have enabled even children as young as 10 or 11 to access online courses that prepare them in programming skills, in coding, in learning how to bake, how to sew, how to build prototypes of simple machines, how to assemble a bicycle, how to master physics, how to solve calculus problems etc.
The liberation of education in this era present our youth an opportunity like never before, but with that liberalisation come greater challenges. The challenge of choosing the right skills to focus on is one. Youth is a precious time, and spending this time acquiring or learning skills that are not economically beneficial can spiral our young into the same poverty and hardship trap that some of our earlier generations had to go through. Those who have waded such choppy waters will know that every hour spent doing something that doesn’t impart the right skill nor right values in life translates into months of job searching or years of being subjected to low wages and poor quality of life.
As such, with access to so much knowledge, the community at large plays an important role of guiding our youth to spent their time wisely, especially on the Internet as well as in courses and skills they pursue, paid or otherwise. Guidance over time management and specialization plays an important role in setting the minds of our young into competitive fields and subsequently, careers. In this aspect, knowledge related to STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – is to be prioritized. Next, in the wake of the digital age, programming skills and digital skills must be given attention to. Finally, our young must learn to master the complexities of managing their finances, their health and their social relationships.
It is an age where people can learn whatever they want, but that freedom should be used carefully so that the precious years of youth are put to the best use.
