ALTHOUGH it feels as if there was never a time without technology, in just a few years the world of tech has seen dramatic growth. It’s hard to imagine but just 20 years ago some of the biggest tech innovations didn’t even exist.
The first iPhone and smart TV were invented only 15 years ago. It was also around then that Netflix started to stream its video content. The first Fitbit health tracker was released 13 years ago and the race is still on to get the first self-driving car for consumers on the road.
The growth in the use of robotics has also exploded in the past two decades. Robots are being used in everything from intricate medical surgery to checking in guests and delivering room service in hotels.
But it’s not just those major movements that have changed our lives. These days we do online banking instead of speaking to a teller, we interact with chatbots when we use call centres and you can shop online for medicine, furniture, food, clothes – anything, really – without ever having to speak to a human being.
We’re now experiencing the fourth industrial revolution – also known as 4IR (see box for more) – which means there are opportunities aplenty if you’re willing to acquire the skills you need.
“Digitisation could result in demand for an additional 1,7 million employees with higher education by 2030,” according to