When reflecting on how young people use technology today, the mind naturally returns to earlier school experiences. Innovation once lived in classrooms, workshops, and crowded halls during annual Science and Technology exhibitions. These spaces were modest, yet they shaped confidence, curiosity, and belief in ideas long before digital platforms became common.
When I was in Form Two, there was an opportunity to present a creative project focused on building and construction. The model aimed to regulate and control excessive environmental pollution. It was simple in design, but serious in purpose, built around the idea that technology could address real societal problems.
Standing before a panel of judges was intimidating. Questions were sharp, faces skeptical, and expectations high. The moment revealed an early truth about innovation: belief in an idea must be defended with clarity, logic, and confidence, regardless of age.
Those early encounters mattered deeply. They showed that innovation was not only about creating something physical, but about thinking critically and communicating purpose. They planted confidence long before advanced terms like artificial intelligence entered daily conversation.
What has changed today is not the creativity of youth, but the tools available to them. Technology has moved beyond exhibitions and into everyday life. Young people no longer wait for competitions to innovate; they use technology daily to solve problems and earn a living.
Phones, laptops, and basic software now allow youth to perform tasks that once required offices or capital. Students design graphics, repair electronics, code programs, manage online businesses, and create digital content alongside their studies.
Many use technology to strengthen traditional hustles. Farmers market produce online, traders track sales digitally, and learners acquire skills through free online tutorials. Innovation today is practical, grounded, and driven by necessity.
Youth do not wait for perfect systems. They adapt available tools to their environments. Technology becomes a bridge in places where jobs are scarce and opportunities uneven. In this context, innovation is not glamorous; it is survival-driven.
Artificial intelligence is already part of this reality. Editing tools, recommendation systems, and automated features quietly shape how young people create, learn, and earn. Even without technical language, youth are learning to work alongside intelligent systems.
This shift has changed how work is viewed. Hustle is no longer purely physical. It is digital, flexible, and multi-skilled. One individual can be a learner, creator, seller, and problem-solver at the same time.
However, freedom comes with pressure. Mistakes are public, competition is global, and income is uncertain. Technology opens doors, but it does not guarantee stability or protection.
This reality highlights the importance of guidance. Mentorship, digital literacy, and ethical awareness are as critical as access to devices. Without them, opportunity can easily turn into exploitation.
Looking back, the hardest part of school projects was not building the model, but explaining it clearly. The same applies today. Success comes to those who understand technology and apply it thoughtfully to real needs.
Education systems must respond. Schools should encourage experimentation, creativity, and problem-solving, not only exam performance. Innovation grows when learners are trusted to try and fail.
Encouragingly, many youth are already collaborating. They learn together, share skills, and support each other’s work. This mirrors the teamwork once seen in school projects, now extended into real life.
Technology has reshaped the hustle, not removed it. Effort, persistence, and doubt remain. What has changed is reach. Small ideas now travel far, and youth are actively building solutions for the present and future.
When I was in Form Two, there was an opportunity to present a creative project focused on building and construction. The model aimed to regulate and control excessive environmental pollution. It was simple in design, but serious in purpose, built around the idea that technology could address real societal problems.
Standing before a panel of judges was intimidating. Questions were sharp, faces skeptical, and expectations high. The moment revealed an early truth about innovation: belief in an idea must be defended with clarity, logic, and confidence, regardless of age.
Those early encounters mattered deeply. They showed that innovation was not only about creating something physical, but about thinking critically and communicating purpose. They planted confidence long before advanced terms like artificial intelligence entered daily conversation.
What has changed today is not the creativity of youth, but the tools available to them. Technology has moved beyond exhibitions and into everyday life. Young people no longer wait for competitions to innovate; they use technology daily to solve problems and earn a living.
Phones, laptops, and basic software now allow youth to perform tasks that once required offices or capital. Students design graphics, repair electronics, code programs, manage online businesses, and create digital content alongside their studies.
Many use technology to strengthen traditional hustles. Farmers market produce online, traders track sales digitally, and learners acquire skills through free online tutorials. Innovation today is practical, grounded, and driven by necessity.
Youth do not wait for perfect systems. They adapt available tools to their environments. Technology becomes a bridge in places where jobs are scarce and opportunities uneven. In this context, innovation is not glamorous; it is survival-driven.
Artificial intelligence is already part of this reality. Editing tools, recommendation systems, and automated features quietly shape how young people create, learn, and earn. Even without technical language, youth are learning to work alongside intelligent systems.
This shift has changed how work is viewed. Hustle is no longer purely physical. It is digital, flexible, and multi-skilled. One individual can be a learner, creator, seller, and problem-solver at the same time.
However, freedom comes with pressure. Mistakes are public, competition is global, and income is uncertain. Technology opens doors, but it does not guarantee stability or protection.
This reality highlights the importance of guidance. Mentorship, digital literacy, and ethical awareness are as critical as access to devices. Without them, opportunity can easily turn into exploitation.
Looking back, the hardest part of school projects was not building the model, but explaining it clearly. The same applies today. Success comes to those who understand technology and apply it thoughtfully to real needs.
Education systems must respond. Schools should encourage experimentation, creativity, and problem-solving, not only exam performance. Innovation grows when learners are trusted to try and fail.
Encouragingly, many youth are already collaborating. They learn together, share skills, and support each other’s work. This mirrors the teamwork once seen in school projects, now extended into real life.
Technology has reshaped the hustle, not removed it. Effort, persistence, and doubt remain. What has changed is reach. Small ideas now travel far, and youth are actively building solutions for the present and future.
