New survey finds British children more employable than their parents

New research released today by Tech Will Save Us, creators of DIY gadget kits that encourage everyone to make, play, code and invent with technology, reveals 65% of British parents feel their child or children (aged 15 or under) are better and faster at using tech, and over half (55%) more proficient at coding than themselves.

 

The survey of 1,000 parents in the UK, carried out by 3Gem, revealed that whilst less than than one in four (24%) of British parents can code, one in three (33%) of British kids under 15 can. Surprisingly, findings revealed a huge 28% of those under four-years-old can code!

 

According to the World Economic Forum, five million jobs will be lost to automation by 2020 as a result of our increasing reliance on technology. As a catalyst to this, jobs in the programming sector have seen a 50% faster growth rate compared to the overall market.

 

The poll also revealed over half (54%) of parents think it’s important for themselves to learn how to programme, with 14% saying they have plans to learn how to. In comparison, when considering their child’s career progression, 77% of parents think it’s important for their child to both study STEM subjects and learn to code.

 

These findings are encouraging given the future workforce is predicted to rely on such skillsets. Despite this, 43% of parents are concerned that their child or children won’t be prepared for the future of work.

 

The survey was commissioned by Tech Will Save Us to tie in with the launch of their new Kickstarter campaign. The campaign will seek to support three new make-it-yourself kits, titled Dough Universe, which include play dough, a friendly app and smart controllers to inspire kids to invent creatures, instruments and machines to get kids learning about the fundamentals of electricity: through light, movement and sound.

 

“65% of kids in primary school today will have jobs that don’t exist yet. We believe that kids deserve toys that provide them with the skills that will help prepare them for the future,” said Bethany Koby, co-founder and CEO of Tech Will Save Us.

 

“It’s encouraging to learn so many children are starting coding young, as access to this information has never been more available for parents. However, our survey also illuminated 76% of British parents believe external encouragement or discouragement changes children’s pursuit of STEM subjects and careers, and we want to do more to inspire children into the industry through engaging, interactive and playful products.”