There is no doubt that we are living in a highly digitalized global economy and without digital skills one may not survive.
What are digital skills?
Digital skills are defined as the abilities to use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage information. They enable people to create and share digital content, communicate and collaborate, and solve problems for effective and creative self-fulfillment in life, learning, work, and social activities at large.
Information and Technology experts say digital skills are required more than ever before to stay relevant and competitive in the global economy.
With many courses in the universities becoming less marketable in the work world and students lacking employable skills when seeking opportunities, the acquisition of digital skills is the right direction for the achievement of digital inclusion, for personal growth and access to job opportunities across the local and international tech ecosystems.
Do you want to learn a digital skill today and don’t know which to pick?
Here are the top 10 digital skills in demand right now.
(NOTE: The arrangement is not in hierarchical order.)
Basic computer skills
Basic computer skills refer to your abilities to perform fundamental tasks on a computer. These can include; understanding certain software, applications, programs and tools, how to use speed sheets like excel, Microsoft word,slides like power Point, Google sheets, Google doc, how to buy things online, how to surf the internet e.t.c This knowledge is fundamental in learning digital skills.
Graphics Design
This is a very powerful digital skill. It is the creation of visual content with computer software to communicate or inform and attract customers. From designing flyers, posters, banners, magazine ads, tv commercials, creating design for businesses, you can work in publishing companies, advertising firms e.t.c
This is a good digital skill choice for people who are creative thinkers and lovers of art. It can easily be learned using phone or a laptop.
Photo and video editing
Everyone wants to share professional photos and videos online. Businesses want to create good and captivating photos and videos for their online engagements. This skill will empower you to help businesses of all sizes and individuals to capture and present their best moments.
Social media marketing/ management
This is the process of creating and constructing social media contents on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, WhatsApp e.t.c. Social media managers have opportunities to work anywhere as either a blogger or marketing manager. They monitor online audience and their presence to generate sales; they develop strategy, and increase the social engagement of a business, organization or client.
Content marketing
There is a saying that, “content is king”. Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent post to attract and retain audience and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action. You can not achieve much in the digital space of marketing without contents, because content is everything here. Online presence can only be exciting when there are contents. Both your website and social media platforms need it.
Data Analytics
Data analysis is the process of applying logical techniques to collect, clean, interpret and evaluate data, to help solve a query or problem. As an analyst, it is easy to find jobs in businesses, industries, science, medicine, schools e.t.c.
Business owners, organisations e.t.c will want to know people that visit their website, how long they have stayed, the kind of contents they consumed and how they can improve on their services.
Digital marketing
Digital marketing simple means selling through digital platforms, using digital channels to reach your tergeted audience for them to buy from you.
It is one of the most powerful digital skills that business owners, organisations are looking for. If you want to change career, digital marketing skill is one you should consider. An online marketer uses social media platform to promote or advertise brands, products, and services. Examples of platforms used in digital marketing are email,pay-per-click, social media e.t.c. Digital Marketing skills have several online platforms to learn from.
Email Marketing
This is simply the act of selling using email, sending a commercial message, writing to a group of people. Email marketing has one of the highest returns of any digital marketing technique. The power of Email marketing as a marketing tool is often underestimated.
Coding and Web development
This is a digital skill that involves creating, designing, and maintaining websites and web applications. Everything we do digitally has to do with applications, the foundation of it all is programming. Coding is a highly valuable skill in a digital society. With businesses becoming more and more digitalized, jobs that involve coding are on the rise, especially in Nigeria. There is a huge demand for programmers and they earn a lot of money. Very few persons go into this field because it takes time, the incubation period is very long.
Animation
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most animations are made with computer-generated imagery. There are people that prefer animation, children and adults too. Custom projects need people to make animations, schools and even religious cycles as well.
In conclusion, digital skills are of Paramount importance to the growth and development of our society and anyone that really wants to create wealth in the today’s economy must embibe digital skills.
