Computing is one of the biggest industries in the world today and millions of people now work in this forever expanding industry
. We use computers for almost everything we do; writing correspondence, carrying out research, invoicing, accounting and media to name but just a few of the industries which have been touched by IT. The biggest and most far reaching innovation of the digital age is the internet. This one tool has enabled the world to be in contact constantly and enables the almost instant transfer of information from one part of the globe to another at an almost negligible price.
The internet is the biggest cultural, social and technological advance of this millennium and will have far reaching implications for hundreds of years to come. It has enabled many people to have a voice on a world stage that they did not have. It has brought nobodies into the limelight and made them internationally recognised stars. It has given a platform to millions of people on which they can extoll their views and ideas to a world audience. It has given small business owners access to markets which they could never have even dreamed of accessing before; now a trader in a cottage in the Scottish Highlands can make and sell a product to person in a America or Japan as easily as they would sell it to their next door neighbour.
As a marketing tool it is phenomenal. It has given advertisers and brands unprecedented access to consumers allowing them to react to trends and fashions at great speed. Social media has enabled everyone to have their voice heard and to stay in contact with far away friends with absolute ease. It has also brought many tools such as online auction sites to the world at large.
With all this technology comes the need for specialists who are trained in the usage of computers. Companies need programmers and code writers to create the software required to get their latest product off the ground. They need technical support specialists to help them in times of need when their systems run into difficulties. They need specialist consultants to advise them on the course they should take when installing or upgrading their systems. They need consultants to advise them how the market will react to a particular product or idea. The bedrock of a good company is a good set of personnel who have the skills and technical knowledge required to get the job done.