Roger Tweedy, director of research, REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation)

A recent study by T-Mobile looked at the attitudes of both graduates and employers towards the use of mobile technology in the workplace and it made some interesting discoveries.



The results revealed that although the use of social networking, email, mobile phones and instant messenger has led graduates and students to be highly collaborative in their personal lives and within their studies, 84% of this generation does not regard these skills as being valuable in their working lives and is leaving them off their CVs.

The main reason for this is that many young people have become so accustomed to the ability to collaborate from any location that they do not see it as anything new or different. It is likely that they would not have considered that the generations before them have had to become accustomed to working with most technology after joining the workforce and were not, in fact, brought up using it.

Why is it important that graduates are familiar with mobile technology?

The discoveries that 49% of students use mobile email, 48% of students are using mobile broadband, and a massive 79% of students regularly use laptops on projects during their studies, illustrate the extent to which the use of collaborative technology has been adopted by young people. Contrary to students’ and graduates’ nonchalance towards their abilities in this area, employers do recognise the advantages of taking on graduates with these skills.

T-Mobile’s research showed that 51% of employers value new staff being able to quickly adopt mobile technology and work effectively from remote locations. An additional 48% of employers believe that graduates with proven skills and experience of using laptops and mobile technology such as mobile broadband, PDAs and Smartphones, are extremely valuable to their businesses.

What are the benefits for employers?
Our growing service-based economy has created a more demanding customer base for which deadlines are tighter and expectations greater. Employees are under pressure to maintain communication, obtain instant access to information and respond quickly to client and colleague requests in order to service this customer base. For many businesses, the idea that they only operate from a single office is long gone. Doing business on the move and rising to the challenge to meet the needs of their customers is essential to competing in a demanding market.

Mobile technology ensures better communication with employees and suppliers and faster response times. With this in mind, more and more companies are now embracing a flexible approach to working hours and locations. It is no wonder that new employees with proven experience of being productive from any location are seen as valuable.

Are there any careers where these skills are particularly valued?

In careers ranging from sales to consultancy to marketing to events management (all popular choices with graduates), employees spend a large amount of time away from the office and businesses recognise that providing them with the appropriate technology can greatly increase their productivity, even at a junior level.

Can these skills help graduates to stand out as competition for jobs increases?

Given the increased competition in the job market due to the current economic crisis, employers will be looking for graduates to stand out above their peers. One such way to achieve this is likely to be through demonstrating technical aptitude. 39% of employers will be hiring fewer graduates than usual over the coming months. Under the circumstances, 27% of employers would be more likely to hire graduates with technical proficiency, highlighting a general acknowledgement of the benefits of these skills amongst SME managers.

How will mobile technology shape the way we work in future?

With 48% of students expecting to be able to work from home or have regular flexible hours once employed, we can only imagine the expectations future generations will have for technology in the workplace. Mobile learning companies, such as Ookl, are beginning to take things to the next level by introducing devices such as PDAs to primary schools and museums, where they are being used to enhance the learning experience of pupils in a number of ways. For instance, children become familiar with the devices, using them to take photographs, make video recordings and log their comments and thoughts while out of the classroom on school trips. They can then analyse the information more closely when back in school. If applied correctly, this exposure not only improves students’ learning experiences, but also introduces them to technology that is now ubiquitous in a work setting.