Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/1505559
Moreover, 16% said they used a few times per month or less often used the internet to communicate with relatives or family members or keep up with their activities. 19 Achieving Potential: the Future of Indigenous Youth in a Technology- Driven Future The provision of quality devices conducive to conducting complex tasks, such as laptops or computers, helps improve digital and social inclusion as well as provide Indigenous youth the right skills and tools that they need to succeed academically and achieve their potential in a technology-driven workplace. Research shows that although "Indigenous high school graduation rates are improving, only 45% of Indigenous [people] aged 24-35 have a post-secondary education compared to 71% of non-Indigenous [people in Canada]." 20 A study conducted in Australia examined the impact of providing home computers to families from low socioeconomic backgrounds, which could illuminate the impact having access to a device for education purposes can have on students. 21 After conducting interviews and focus groups with the recipients, researchers found that "all family members felt that the ownership of a computer enabled them to feel more confident about their active participation in everyday educational, social and community activities." 22 Moreover, parents, teachers and students appreciated the importance of owning a computer, citing the increase in ease with which they could complete school work and communicate with friends online. 23 Therefore, access to high quality devices that better enable complex work and school tasks are a better indicator of students' academic achievement and motivation to engage online in more productive ways. According to RBC's 2021 report, "relative to the non-Indigenous population, fewer Indigenous youth are in jobs that require future-focused skills such as critical thinking and reading comprehension." 24 The report also finds that "nearly two-thirds of jobs held by Indigenous workers will need a different mix of skills in the future," such as mining companies that will need fewer truck drivers and more operators of driverless trucks or digital healthcare for remote communities. 25 The RBC survey, which showed a 13-percentage-point difference in confidence between Indigenous and non- Indigenous youth for digital literacy, found that "the gap was widest among those still in school and narrowed as young people gained work experience." 26 Gaps in digital skills and confidence among Indigenous youth could be improved by expanding their digital experience and exposure to digital devices and skills training: 76% of Indigenous peoples aged 15 and older use the internet daily compared to 91% overall. 27 Moreover, Indigenous peoples are underrepresented in high-tech sectors as only 1.2% of the high tech workforce identifies as Indigenous. 28 Closing this gap in usage would allow Indigenous youth to develop the skills they need to engage in a data and digitally driven economy. Improving digital skills for Indigenous peoples in Canada is linked to increases in wages for Indigenous workers by up to 36%. 29 Impact of Connected North's Digital Inclusion Grant on IndigenousStudents' Learning, Social Connection and Community Involvement 10