Our Story
Technology impacts the way we think, discover, communicate and learn. These are all factors that influence who we are, the skills we acquire and the opportunities we secure.
In the last 20 years for those that could afford it, technology has been a part of their daily lives. Tech infiltrated our homes, our businesses, our learning and our daily experiences. Access to digital hardware today is no longer optional. The same goes for the skill set required to be able to utilise it.
The world of technology never sleeps, however the adoption of digital strategies within education has only just begun.
In 2020, when the covid pandemic hit the UK and the world locked down, many were sent to work from home. The impact of this new reality was felt by the UK’s 8.9 million school children, who now needed to pivot from traditional learning into online classrooms.
For some children, this was virtually impossible. They had zero or little access to hardware, with most children accessing school via smartphone. At times this was often a parent or guardian sharing their device between siblings.
They also faced other barriers to online learning, such as connectivity, support and a lack of computing science skills needed to use the technology safely and correctly.
Local tech entrepreneur Dean Benson saw what was happening and wanted to help. After personally donating to various funds, he began speaking to people about digital equality and how we could take this further and create a long-lasting and sustainable solution for the children of Teesside. Tech Equal was born.
In 2020, the Covid 19 pandemic forced businesses to rethink operations and staff engagement with technology at work, with an estimated three years worth of digital transformation taking place within three months. Many companies are now making long-lasting investments in digital solutions.
For this reason, the time has come to re-evaluate the place of technology within education and the pivotal role it plays in future success.
Our children are the digital natives, future business leaders and entrepreneurs of the future. In a world where technology never sleeps, we simply cannot let the lessons of the pandemic pass us by and continue to say we are doing all we can to ensure opportunity is plentiful for everyone.
Tech Equal is looking to support the financial burden of digital transformation in primary schools by working with tech and digital industry giants and local businesses. Together with technology, we can give every child across Teesside the opportunity to excel and reach their potential.
