Tech-savvy teens will win the future

"What do employers actually want?"

It's a question that's becoming harder to answer in today's rapidly evolving tech landscape.

As Aaron Osmond, CEO of Knowledge Pillars, put it in the latest episode of the podcast, "Industry has not been satisfied with the quality of the education system for decades."

Ouch.

It used to be that a Computer Science degree was the key to the tech kingdom. Now, the path isn't so clear-cut.

You’ve heard coding boot camps are the way forward.

Then, just when you think you've got it figured out, AI comes along and threatens to code us all out of a job. It's enough to make you want to throw your laptop out the window and take up basket weaving instead.

But before you swap your keyboard for a loom, let's take a step back.

The tech industry isn't dying; it's evolving – says Osmond.

And with that evolution comes a shift in what employers are looking for.

Aaron and I started our conversation by discussing the changes we've both seen in the tech world in our careers, but our conversation expanded into much more.

We ended up covering:

• The truth about what tech employers really want (it's not just coding skills)

• Why your network might be more valuable than you think (even if you're homeschooled)

• How AI is changing the game (and why hands-on problem-solving is more important than ever)

The days of following a predetermined path to a tech career are over. But here's the good news: you don't have to wait for the system to catch up.

Young people can take control of their learning journeys right now.

Knowledge Pillars is just one of multiple OpenEd Direct course options that offer hands-on, industry-recognized certifications in coding and web development. “Real credentials for real skills,” as their website reads.

Check out the full episode, the sweetened-condensed summary, and OpenEd’s full list of CTE courses here.

– Isaac

P.S. If your teen is interested in becoming a WordPress Certified Editor, let them know we’re always hiring at OpenEd ;-)