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Investing in technology to enable virtual working and to serve customers digitally has become a matter of survival for many organisations

how affordable technology like Raspberry Pi is igniting digital learning . in the Middle East and Africa ( MEA ). Michael Cade , Senior Global Technologist , Veeam , tells Intelligent SME . tech ’ s Manda Banda

Manda Banda

IGITAL TRANSFORMATION

IS currently at the top of every CIO ’ s agenda . Investing in technology to enable virtual working and to serve customers digitally has become a matter of survival for many organisations . However , Digital Transformation is a cultural shift as well as a technological one . It is a process that requires digital upskilling at every level of business .

According to the Veeam 2020 Data Protection Trends Report , almost half ( 43 %) of organisations in the Middle East and Africa ( MEA ) say a lack of IT staff skills and expertise is preventing or has prevented them from moving forward with Digital Transformation . In a 2020 survey by PwC of CEOs in the Middle East , 70 % said the availability of key digital skills is a business threat .

While businesses can implement various learning initiatives to upskill employees and strategic partnerships can help businesses tap into a wider talent pool , steps to address this challenge need to start earlier . Schools are ultimately where the workforce of the future will be developed and where children develop interests that often set up them up for life .

With the Institute for the Future ( IFTF ) revealing that 85 % of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven ’ t even been invented yet , acquiring digital skills will become even more critical . Schools are where we need to be encouraging interest in technology and digital skills and educating students in new technologies .

Last year was a unique year for education . Schools across the Middle East have at various stages had to close or pivot to virtual learning . This has meant parents and guardians have been responsible for ensuring children get the learning opportunities they need . As one would expect , this makes every child ’ s ‘ lockdown learning ’ experience unique . Moving forward , there is an opportunity to capitalise on the home-learning revolution and start the process of encouraging an interest in technology amongst young people , by giving them the chance to get hands-on and test concepts out in a safe environment

Affordable technologies such as the Raspberry Pi provide an accessible platform for mastering basic digital skills such as setting up and configuring a home computer , to more advanced practices such as coding and programming languages . Here are three

WHILE THE RASPBERRY PI IS A GREAT RESOURCE FOR ENTRY-LEVEL LEARNING AND INSPIRING PEOPLE TO INCREASE THEIR DIGITAL APTITUDE , IT CAN ALSO BE USED FOR MORE ADVANCED PURPOSES SUCH AS LEARNING TO CODE SOFTWARE .