“Technology makes the world a new place.”
 – Shoshana Zuboff

Yes . . . we’re celebrating another holiday. This one might be a little obscure, but it’s worth recognizing. October 3 is National Techies Day. Per Merriam-Webster, a “techie is a person who is very knowledgeable or enthusiastic about technology and especially high technology.” One would naturally assume that National Techies Day is all about those who love smartphones, smart watches, smart homes, and anything else deemed smart. And that’s true to some degree, but there’s also another aspect of it that is even cooler than the latest tech – promoting technology-based careers to today’s learners and future workforce. 

The day’s inaugural year was 1998, and it was started by the website Techies.com and CNET Networks. Its original goal was to help high school students learn about career opportunities in technology, whether that be in programming, website design, software design, or other fields like information technology. 

The day places emphasis on the fact that technology is rapidly moving and changing, and with that comes more and more fields of study and more (new and different) jobs. In 2020 alone, IT-based jobs are expected to increase by a whopping 22 percent!

Technology is impacting every part of our lives, and it’s time we recognize it’s an important part of our future as well.

With Pitsco striving to prepare students with career-ready skills they can use in the workplace of the future, we felt obliged to share with you some tips on how to foster interest in tech careers and celebrate Techies Day all year long.

Create a Techie-Friendly Learning Environment

So, how can we celebrate National Techies Day in the way it was intended to be celebrated? Try out these few ways to help cultivate a tech-friendly atmosphere into your every day:

1. Do techie things – Encourage your students explore different types of tech and learn about new trends. Offer opportunities for them to practice and improve their skills. You can encourage them to do so in the classroom or even in their home. Work with them on learning coding and programming through various coding languages such as Arduino or Python.
   
   Coding and programming are vital for the future workforce, and any way for students to develop these skills early is a great thing.
   
   Our Code Cube, Smart Buddies™, or Fable Hello Class Set are great solutions to start with. Students will be coding in just minutes even, with varying skill levels and familiarity. Want to do more with metal? The TETRIX^® PRIME or TETRIX MAX Dual Control Set will have students designing, building, and programming.
   
   Coding and robotics help students develop future-ready work skills and become producers, not just consumers, of technology. Get students thinking about solving problems and how they can change the world for the better through technology. If you can get your students in the right mind-set moving forward, the possibilities are endless!
2. Engage with the tech community and enthusiasts; encourage others on social media – Social media and in and of itself is technology based. Today’s learners are social and digital natives. You can provide many lessons to your students about how social media can be used for tremendous good, especially on days like National Techies Day. You can share with others all over the world what you are doing to celebrate while using the hashtag #NationalTechiesDay. You can comment on others’ social media posts about what they are doing to celebrate.
   
   Social media enables you to plug into a community of like-minded people, who all want to promote careers for the betterment of their students! How perfect is that? Celebrate with others on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or any other platform you choose!
   
   You would be amazed at how many other organizations celebrate special days like National Techies Day! One such local organization you might explore is your public library. Public libraries are typically very good at keeping a close eye on special events like this.
   
   Local science fairs are another option to look at. Community events that reinforce technology-based skills needed for the workforce and future careers are a must-have and very important to helping encourage interest outside of school.
3. Explore technology-based careers with your students – Encourage your students to explore different types of tech and different paths within the tech community. This might be the most important one of the bunch, most central to the spirit of the day. But, we think it can certainly be celebrated many times over, not just on National Techies Day.
   
   Have them do mini-research projects for various opportunities and focuses. By exploring technology-based careers with your students, you never know what spark you might light that puts them on a trajectory for the career of their dreams.
   
   With just a simple web search for “technology-based careers,” a whole list of articles and resources will pop up. For example, on National Techies Day, you can look at a detailed approach to jobs such as web or software developer or even a job around automation and manufacturing in a warehouse.
   
   You can also work with area tech-oriented businesses and facilities (large and small) and technical colleges or university programs to provide touring and shadowing opportunities for students. And, don’t forget you can certainly use Skype or other social media to have students interview and connect with tech professionals to get a firsthand account of what their professions are like.
4. Remember, enjoy the day – There are so many great things and ideas that come from technology that there should be no reason not to celebrate!
   Have other ideas? Let us know in the comments below. 

Not a techie yourself? Check out this blog on the benefits of developing your personal tech skills. Teachers who learn to embrace technology can streamline their work, improve their efficiency, and even lighten their workload by letting technology take care of some of their tasks.

Interested in how we can help you implement STEM, coding, and robotics solutions into your classroom while helping your students gain valuable career-ready skills that tech professions (and so many others!) demand? Don’t hesitate to reach out.

Resources:
Today Is National Techies Day: How to Make It Meaningful
National Techies Day – October 3