Poor, low skilled left behind by digital divide
As the world moves online, those who can’t afford internet access are being increasingly disadvantaged, experts say.
InternetNZ chief executive Jordan Carter said finding paid work was a challenge faced by those without internet access.
‘‘Most jobs are now only posted online, and on top of this, employers are increasingly looking for people with good digital skills,’’ Carter said.
It was important for children to be digitally savvy and creative on the internet, he said.
Seven per cent of 750 people surveyed by InternetNZ did not have internet access. Those people either chose not to have it or could not afford it.
Maggie Hartnett, a senior lecturer at Massey University’s Institute of Education, said people with lower education or a lower income were more likely to have limited internet access and use the internet for recreational purposes only.
‘‘This puts at risk those who are digitally disadvantaged, including families with children in low socioeconomic communities, people with disabilities, migrants and refugees with English as a second language and people without core digital skills entering the workforce or already in the workforce,’’ Hartnett said.
Last year the Government announced its plan to close the digital divide by 2020.
But Carter said the private sector also had a role to play.
‘‘Businesses can play a role in improving digital divides by committing to upskill staff. Training staff on the job should not only include practices that will help with day-to-day work, but also ensuring that staff are digitally savvy and up to date with tech, as it changes so rapidly.’’
Businesses could also consider subsidising employees’ home internet, Carter said.
Kendall Flutey, a co-founder of Kiwi software company Banqer, said a digital divide caused by new technologies also posed a risk to education. Banqer is an online educational banking system designed to help children learn about money. Each student is given their own bank account, where they can transfer money, set up automatic payments and track their spending.
The company was named a rising star in the Deloitte Fast 50 index in 2016.
Flutey said her business was aimed at educating the next generation online, so it needed to be ‘‘hyper-aware’’ of the future of learning. ‘‘We’re always assessing new technology.’’
Closing the digital divide would lead to a higher quality of education for all, she said.
For information on the 2018 Deloitte Fast 50, including entry criteria, how to enter and key dates, visit www.fast50.co.nz.