The time will come when your 14-year-old son is designing pages on the Internet for your business. Yeah, right, you think looking at the lad sprawled across the couch, moaning about too much homework. But, think again.
Out in Collinstown Park Community School, Clondalkin, Co Dublin, where second-year students are taking part in the Technology Awareness Programme for Schools (TAPS). One of them is Greg Byrne, 14.
"I do websites for my father, advertising his company," he says. "We're opening a pet shop at the end of January and I've designed a poster on the computer advertising that as well."
TAPS is a partnership between schools in west Dublin, Tallaght IT and technology companies such as Hewlett-Packard and Intel. It aims to provide information technology (IT) skills and technology awareness to a pool of young people from 12 second-level schools.
Eileen Goold, a lecturer at Tallaght IT, is co-ordinating the programme. "The programme is focused in areas where there is a history of unemployment and very few people go on to third level," she says. "Research shows that young people tend to choose careers they have been exposed to, but most young people we have targeted would not be aware of the opportunities in the technical area. They would all like good salaries, interesting jobs and a good social life, but they don't realise that this is all on offer through the technical industry."
The industries involved offer each school opportunities for technical support and the chance to see at first hand the production operation and what various careers involve. A special website has also been set up which profiles companies taking part in the programmes. It gives details of the sort of employment in the area, from software engineer to project manager, what each job entails, and feedback from young people working in the industry.
According to American research, the demand for computer programmers is increasing by 15 per cent a year and Ireland is currently the second largest producer of software in the world. But participation rates in third-level education and training in some parts of the country is extremely low.
The TAPS programme aims to increase participation in IT education by students from disadvantaged areas. It also gives the community an insight into what goes on in local factories and creates an awareness of technology careers.
"We have a very high rate of unemployment in this area," says Brian Fleming, principal at Collinstown Park Community School. "Many students at our school would have very little knowledge of the opportunities available and we became involved in the programme as a way of addressing this issue. They learn what is open to them, what is required to get there and what the job will entail."
A weaknesses in the education system, says Fleming, is that "nobody is responsible for assessing some of the initiatives schools get involve in, but I feel confident that this particular programme will benefit the children who participate."
According to Goold, feedback from the schools indicates that the pupils are enjoying the programme. "The kids have been delighted with it," she says. "They find computers really exciting and their eyes light up when they figure something out. It's also quite a different approach to the more traditional classes they are participating in and they seem to enjoy that."
AT the coal face, things are certainly looking good. "It's deadly," says Jenna Saunders, one of the four bright-eyed pupils bursting with excitement as they take time out of their precious lunch-break to talk to The Irish Times.
Indeed, it would want to be deadly, given that these pupils have chosen to commit four hours a week after school to the programme. However, only 13 pupils from second year are currently involved. Is this because computers are seen as `nerd territory'?
"No, everyone loves computers," says Darren Hogan. "There's loads of information on the Internet, websites on Star Trek, TV and all that. It's just that the others haven't time - they've football and stuff to do."
Enthusiasm for the TAPS programme is so infectious that some of the pupils' parents are taking up computer courses. "My ma is doing a course so she can help my da with his business," says Greg. "And my ma's thinking about it," pipes up Jenna - which shows that the desired effect of spreading computer awareness through the community is working.
Long-term projections? "I'm hoping to do a website on drama," says Jenna. "I can't wait till we start doing email," says Joanne Corcoran. And, they're all looking forward to careers with computers in the not-so-distant future.
