Power Up Your Career With Digital Literacy | CBCC News

In today’s digital world, being able to use technology with confidence is no longer optional, it’s fundamental.

Our world’s digital transformation has opened unprecedented avenues for economic empowerment. Digital tools such as the Internet, mobile technology, and digital financial services make it easy for anyone to leapfrog traditional barriers, earn additional income, increase employment opportunities, and access knowledge and general information.

Although this seems like a great opportunity to encourage greater gender equality in the labour market and build a more inclusive world through technology, it is far from reality.

An OECD report revealed that 327 million fewer women worldwide have access to mobile Internet or even own a smartphone than men. Women are under-represented in IT (information technology) jobs, with men four times more likely than women to be IT specialists. On average, only 0.5% of 15-year-old girls want to pursue IT professions compared to 5% of boys in the same age group. Women-owned tech start-ups receive 23% less funding and are 30% less likely to have a positive exit compared to male-owned businesses.

In Australia, women are more digitally excluded than men, especially women on low incomes, unpaid carers, women with disability, Indigenous women, CALD women, and older women. This means having less confidence, lower skill levels, and less affordable access to the Internet and digital technology.

As a leading Chamber of Commerce, the CBCC understands just how critical technology is in our professional and personal lives. Our Women’s Committee has identified that many women in our community report feeling less confident when it comes to using tech tools like Gmail or Google Workspace, and data-driven methodologies, especially if they have had an extended career break.

Why is it important for you to boost your digital and data literacy? And how can we help you do so? Read on to find out.

You might think that being able to send an email, successfully buying something online, or doing a Google search is good enough.

However, true digital literacy goes beyond these basic skills. It involves understanding and using digital platforms effectively to communicate with other people, solve problems, and manage information. It also means being able to maintain digital safety as you use these platforms.

Many women are at higher risk at being digitally illiterate as they are more likely to take career breaks, leading to a decline in confidence in their digital skills. The underrepresentation of women in the tech industry, where they make up only 29% of the workforce, can enhance this issue as any solutions created to alleviate this issue are rarely created by women for women which can affect uptake.

Additionally, women are more likely to experience higher rates of image-based abuse and concerns about online safety, which can interfere with their career progression, and in extreme cases, avoid using digital platforms and technology altogether.

By finding ways to address this imbalance increase and digital literacy in women, we help them make more informed decisions online, navigate digital platforms and use digital tools more effectively and efficiently, and empower them to make technology work for them, and not the other way around.

Once you’re on your way to achieving digital literacy, what’s the next step? Becoming data-driven.

‘Great, more numbers,’ might be what you are thinking. However, data is just another tool in our toolkit. Data is there to guide us, not intimidate us. By mastering data skills, you can access, analyse, and use the data gained from your digital tools to predict trends, understand customer behaviours, and measure success in concrete terms, helping you improve your strategic planning and achieving long-term goals.

Being comfortable at using data is crucial in today’s data-centric world because evidence-based strategies have been proven to lead to better outcomes and more robust solutions, giving you the confidence that your information is correct and true.

People who are proficient in data are better equipped to take on leadership roles and advocate for themselves and their ideas. For women, becoming data-driven can help close the gender gap in industries where men currently dominate, particularly in STEM fields, empowering women with the skills needed to succeed and lead in the digital economy.

Not sure where to start? Make your first step small and easy to maintain. Use tools that are simple, intuitive, and come with tutorials and templates to get you started without feeling overwhelmed. A great example is Google Sheets, which can be used to track simple metrics, whether they’re sales numbers, website traffic, or even personal goals like hours spent on a project. The more you interact with data, the more intuitive it will become.

1. Engage with Online Tutorials and Workshops. There are countless free resources online specifically designed to boost your digital skills. Look for tutorials that cater to beginners and gradually build up to more advanced topics.
2. Practice Regularly. Like any other skill, digital literacy and data analysis improves with practice. Set aside a little time each week to explore new features in a specific digital platform or experiment with data tools like Google Sheets.
3. Join a Community. Learning in isolation can be daunting, lonely, and it is easy to become demotivated. Join forums, local meetups, or online groups where you can share experiences and tips with other people who are looking to enhance their tech skills. The CBCC’s BRAVE Return To Work Initiative is one such place where you can find other women who want to upskill and become ready to return to work.
4. Set Small, Achievable Goals. Start by mastering one new tool or feature at a time, and be sure to celebrate these small victories as you build your confidence and competence.
5. Ask for Feedback. Use your network to get feedback on how you’re using digital tools. Often, fresh perspectives can help you use these tools more effectively.