Md. Muzibur Rahman :
Lifelong education is needed for everyone to adapt with the changing future. Individuals who are committed to lifelong learning and adapt flexibly to changes are much more likely to find and retain good jobs and advance in their careers. Therefore, lifelong learning enables individuals to find effective and flexible ways to meet the demands of new job roles and challenges.
I wrote Bengali articles in several newspapers (1984-1989) based on Agriculture, agricultural economics, economics, and development related issues in the weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly newspapers in my student life. I had about 50-60 publications in these newspapers (in Bangla) at that time. Then I was studying in Chittagong University. I was awarded 3 times national award in 1988 for my competitive writings (in Bangla) on Human Development & Education at University level competition. But at that time, there was no computer, internet, e-mail or any other digital communication. We sent articles by envelope through the post office. These articles were either hand written or typed by the type machine. But I had no idea how to type. If I want to be a good writer, I shall have to be a good typist to type my article quickly and send it to the editor in time. I like without defending on others. Because when a sense of idea comes into my brain about an article, I shall have to jot down it without making no delay. Then I was admitted in a technical institute & acquired skill how to type. For a little while, I did it.
After a long time, I decided to acquire computer skills in 2001 when the computer & computer skill related institutions were available in our country. I bought a computer & finished a course combining MS Word, MS Excel, Fundamentals, Power Point, e-mail & internet. I taught how to type in MS Word, excel skills, internet browsing, e-mail communication. These skills brought me so easy & comfortable in my every work. Computer typing skills are especially better than old type machine typing skills. I had to learn computer skills to adapt with the changing situation & communication. Translating ideas into language can be slow if I do not know how to write them at once. I could miss the train of thought or experience if I do not acquire these skills. But now I can automate the process & help my thoughts flow freely through my fingertips and on to the computer screen by learning how to touch-type. Now I am not only faster, but more accurate too.
There are so many things I can learn on my computer such as e-banking, e-governance, e-commerce, e-health, e-agriculture & freelancing. These learning & learning development objectives are continuous processes for any man anywhere. There are so many things or technology will come in our future & we shall have to equip & adapt with these technologies promptly. So, I had to learn computer skills to adapt with the latest new technology & digital communication. Now I work & type easily with a computer & sent my article through email to the editors of the newspapers or other social media. From 2017, I am writing English articles and sending them through digital devices i.e. by email.
Lastly, I have earned skills of freelancing & I am a freelancer. I write & post to different social media like FaceBook, Twitter, Fiber, Seoerk, LinkedIn etc. At present, freelancing & outsourcing is a new idea & technology which we need to know. These Freelancing & Outsourcing jobs are now getting popular & thousands of people are engaging in the work of Freelancing & Outsourcing. Digitization & internet connectivity make this work easy & acceptable to all kinds of peoples.
People of any age, irrespective of caste & creed can take this as a profession for self-employment. If we can be self-employed, self-motivated, can take initiative for self-employment, there could be a greater solution to unemployment problems in Bangladesh. Many new technologies are coming to us in the future like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, machine learning, Biometrics, genetic engineering, Nanotechnology & so on. These new technologies are used in their respective field for the benefits of mankind.
Technology fosters innovation, creates jobs, and boosts long-term economic prosperity. Technology can also create new opportunities for economic growth, development, and competitiveness. Technology has made it possible for people from all walks of life to have access to different resources. So, we shall have to get accustomed to learning new things everyday & it will continue until our death. Because we want to live & survive in the changing & competitive world & for this reason we shall have to continue lifelong learning to adapt with the changing future & situation.
(The author writes on economic, development & rising issues. He can be reached at: E-mail: [email protected])
