“According to a 2006 survey published in many news papers and bulletins, Sweden – a very rich country in Europe, is regarded as the most computer literate country in the world with 82 percent of Dutch populace saying they use the computer and 72 percent uses the internet. It is followed by Canada with 79 and 71 percent respectively and the United States with 76 and 70 percent.”

Since the proliferation of computers and the internet, it has become a large part of our lives, with many fields and infrastructure depending on it, and most businesses using it as a tool. With this development, Computer Literacy has become a need in businesses, in every workplace, in schools, in many establishments, and in everyday  life. It is very unfortunate remaining a computer illiterate in this period of Information Technology.

With computers becoming a basic tool in every industry, there is a very good chance that during your employment, you will use computers. Being computer literate opens many employment opportunities and gives you an edge over other job applicants.

Computer Literacy is the understanding and capacity to use a computer in an effective manner. It can also refer to a certain comfort level in using computers and computer applications. Being computer literate does not connote knowing every single software that exists; it is knowledge in using its basic functionality and applications or advance studies on specific computer fields of interest or needed computer skills.

Many schools offer basic computer courses aside from a bachelor’s degree in any computer studies. Also, many IT centers and establishments offer short-term courses on computer specific topics in affordable prices and convenient schedule. Some courses are also available for free online and some carefully structured study programs and references are available for download in the internet.

Here are some study programs that might be helpful in deciding what courses to take based on your needs and inclination.

• Windows Office Training: Word – Word is a basic editor application that is tailored for making articles, documents, and reports. It has many editing features and tools for convenient writing. In this training, you will be able to learn how to write and compose documents, use tools in formatting documents, grammar and spell checking capabilities as will as other convenient tools.
• Windows Office Training: Excel – Excel application is a very convenient tool for making complex documents involving numeric data and its operations. This tool provides many features for data computation, organization, and presentation. In this training, you will be able to use these functionalities in computing and presenting data, making formulas for calculations of varied data types, using macros, and converting data into charts, graphs, and other forms.
• Computer Basics – Takes up general computer terminology and use. In this training, you will be able to identify and describe basic computer components, start and shut down computers, install software, and be able to use basic applications.
• Programming in Java – This training teaches basic to advanced Java programming. In this training, you will be able to learn java syntax, java keywords, class and method construction, identify data types, data structure and algorithm, and create Java programs and applications.
• Programming in C/C++ – This training teaches C/C++ programming and concepts. In this training, you will be able to learn basic coding syntax in C/C++, class and method construction, Pointers, Exception handling, C/C++ libraries and object oriented programming, designing, and analysis.
• Web Design & Graphics – This training teaches concepts for web site building and designing. In this training, you will be able to plan web site structure, techniques in designing and creating web sites, learn varied programming languages and tools for Web Design.
• Certification Training – This training instructs and serves as review centers for various IT and Computer Certification Examinations like CISCO, JITSE, JAVA, C++ and many other IT fields of specialization.
• Other trainings – There are other trainings related to Computer and Technology like Operating Systems, Computer Hardware, Networking, Database, and an infinite number of training topics.

Learn computers and be assured of a better career and a wealth of options and opportunities. Arm yourself with a reliable skill for a brighter future – Computer Literacy.

Technology continuously evolved and with its rapid progression, the transition from the use of one technology to an advanced one can be made in as short as a couple of months to less than a year – all for the passion of excellence and innovation. Technology continues to develop as time pass by. Technology has helped mankind in a lot of ways. It makes the duties and responsibilities of man a whole lot easier by each second. It also supplies the needs of man. In times of sickness and in health, technology is always there to help. Technology is the reason why we live up to this point in time. Without technology, life would be so miserable. Perhaps the most widely used technology nowadays is computers.

Computers are man-made inventions in which they process data, store to memory and create desired output out of the input for man’s needs. For example, you need to calculate a given equation. What a computer does is that it solves the given equation for your computers until today is very much important. From desktop computers to portable laptops, this would always save you some time as you do your work.

One disadvantage of computers is making people lazy. With computer, some would already depend and would usually not learn anything on their own anymore. For students, instead of going to the library, one would just turn on the computer, search it on the net, copy and paste, and print it out without even reading it if it’s correct or not. Another disadvantage is that it’s costly. There are indeed cheaper ones but the cheaper it gets the slower it becomes. You wouldn’t like a slow computer, wouldn’t you, especially when you are in a hurry.

People should learn and analyze facts. Computers are only aids in one’s work. They are not the one’s making your homework rather they are the ones putting together all of your work. If you search for a topic on the internet, it is best if you would read it. It wouldn’t be called a research if you won’t read it. Indeed time is of the essence. Don’t blame your computer for being so slow if you are working on an assignment at the last minute. A computer may have no feelings, but surely you have. You have to understand that you are the one held responsible for anything that happens, not the computer.

Computers continue to amaze the world, but I think it is best if one should have proper training regarding computers. Through this, the owners will be able to know how to use and take care of a computer at the same time. Not all who have computers at home know how to use a computer. Since technology has reached the point of moving the world, then it is a must that computer and technology training is administered to students in school. This should be included as a subject in curriculums of elementary students since even a 1^st grader knows how to turn on and off a computer, based from experience.

In the said training, one should emphasize that computers only aid you in your work. These computers are not the one to comprehend and understand your work. It is your work, and I personally think that computers are far from being called people are they?

In the said training, one should also point out how to manage abuse of such technology. There is a time for printing data and there is also a time for writing them. Let us not forget what our forefathers taught us. As I said, computers are only used to aid one in accomplishing their task. It is not the work of the computers to understand such a task done.

I personally am thankful that computers exist. It makes my work faster and easier. It is not the typing or printing that counts, but it is the way you comprehend, understand and relate to your work that matters most.