HP Innovation Journal Issue 09: Spring 2018 | Page 28

D I G ITA L T R A N S FO R M AT I O N
As leaders of digital transformation, it’s our responsibility
to not only create the future, but to ensure it is realized
in its most-beneficial-possible way.
As leaders of digital transformation, it’s our responsibility
to not only create the future, but to ensure it is realized in
its most-beneficial-possible way, one that brings hope and
opportunity like never before.
We have an obligation to prepare for it and upskilling
workers so they are ready for the jobs of the future whilst
never losing creativity and diversity of thought.
First and foremost, we have a significant responsibility
to help close the STEM skills gap. At HP, we are committed
to improving the quality of learning and digital literacy,
leading efforts that have benefited 9.5 million students and
adult learners since the start of 2015. We now have com-
mitted to invest an additional $20 million, to enable better
educational outcomes for 100 million people by 2025.
Recently, we were proud participants of the Hour of
Code for the third consecutive year, a strong example of the
types of programs needed to achieve success. Organized by
Code.org and backed by a broad coalition of partners, the
initiative enables students to get hands-on with one of the
most important skillsets of the future. Teams host sessions
for students of all ages, giving them coding tutorials and
lessons so that they can jump the hurdle and see firsthand
that computer science is approachable and fun. Over 100
million students in more than 180 countries have partici-
pated in the Hour of Code to date. In HP’s Europe, Middle
East and Africa region, we proudly supported this scheme
in 2017 across Spain, France, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania,
Croatia, Norway, and South Africa.
By introducing groups often underrepresented in tech-
nology careers to the basics of coding, HP hopes to help
inspire the next generation of visionaries, innovators, and
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game-changers who will advance our industry. The signif-
icance of access to underrepresented communities can’t be
overstated. Access to quality education has always served
as the bedrock to a fair and just society—and there is no
period in history where this holds truer than now.
However, it’s not just about investing in technical or
engineering skills, our future success will also hinge upon
emotional intelligence and our creative, social, and com-
munication skills. In an age of automation, the human
touch, voice and understanding remain critical and can
never be replaced by an algorithm. Take creativity as an
example: it can’t be automated, and doing creative work
provides the best job security there is. But inspiring ideas
are not enough. We need individuals to use the tools at
their disposal to take a creative concept and evolve it into
a tangible service or solution. As we prepare for the digital
revolution by learning new technical skills and processes,
we mustn’t forget that the greatest tool at our disposal is
our own creative thought.
I believe that we have only scratched the surface when
it comes to understanding the power of digital transfor-
mation. Innovation is set to do more than simply boost
productivity—it will create a seismic shift in how we
work, the skills we need to succeed, and the environment
we live in. One fact we know for sure: The need for us to
think creatively and benefit from diversity of thought will
remain constant, no matter how we transform digitally. If
we don’t lose sight of that whilst leveraging rapidly shifting
demographics, economics and technology, we will stay at
the forefront of disruption and the future will be a truly
magnificent place.