There are more people trying to get into tech than ever before.
People are learning programming. Taking cybersecurity courses. Studying cloud administration. Getting Microsoft certifications. Building portfolios. Collecting certificates.
Yet companies still complain that they can’t find people with the right skills.
So, what’s going on?
Maybe the problem isn’t that there aren’t enough talented people.
Maybe we’re just not building the kind of skills the industry actually needs.
This is one of the biggest problems in tech learning today.
You can watch 50 hours of tutorials and still struggle when someone gives you a real problem to solve.
You can explain what an API is but have no idea how to work with one.
You can know what cybersecurity means but struggle to identify a basic security vulnerability.
You can complete a Microsoft 365 course but have difficulty handling an actual administration task.
And you can have ten certificates on your CV without having a single project that shows what you can actually do.
That’s where the gap begins.
The industry doesn’t only need people who know things. It needs people who can use what they know.
There’s nothing wrong with getting certified.
Certifications can show that you’ve invested time in learning a particular subject. They can help you structure your learning and, depending on the role, can be valuable to employers.
But a certificate shouldn’t be the end of your learning.
Think about it this way:
If you’re hiring a graphic designer, would you rather see ten certificates or ten good designs?
If you’re hiring a developer, wouldn’t you want to see something they’ve built?
If you’re hiring someone for an IT administration role, wouldn’t you want to know whether they can actually handle the systems they’ll be responsible for?
Proof matters.
And your projects, practical exercises, portfolio and ability to solve problems can provide that proof.
Tutorials are great for learning.
But there comes a point where you have to close the tutorial and try something yourself.
Build something.
Break something.
Fix it.
Get stuck.
Search for the answer.
Try again.
That process is where a lot of real learning happens.
Because working in tech isn’t usually about following instructions that someone has already written for you.
Sometimes, nobody gives you the exact steps.
You have to figure them out.
Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough:
Being good at tech isn’t just about knowing technology.
It’s also about knowing how to think.
When something isn’t working, can you investigate it?
Can you break a large problem into smaller ones?
Can you ask the right questions?
Can you research an unfamiliar concept?
Can you test possible solutions?
Can you explain the problem to someone who isn’t technical?
These abilities matter because technology changes constantly.
A specific tool you learn today might be replaced or completely redesigned tomorrow.
But the ability to learn, adapt and solve problems stays useful.
Another part of the problem is that many beginners wait too long before putting their skills to work.
They want to finish one more course.
Get one more certificate.
Learn one more programming language.
Watch one more tutorial.
Then they’ll apply.
Then they’ll build.
Then they’ll create a portfolio.
But there’s always something else to learn.
At some point, you have to move from learning about the work to actually doing the work.
Build that small project.
Take on that practical challenge.
Volunteer your skills.
Work on something with other people.
Create something that solves a real problem.
And put your work where people can see it.
You don’t need to be an expert before you start gaining experience.
Not necessarily.
There are talented people everywhere.
The bigger challenge is connecting learning with practical ability.
Someone can be intelligent and still lack experience.
Someone can have potential but never have had the opportunity to practise.
Someone can know the theory but have never worked on a realistic problem.
And someone else might have very little formal experience but have spent months building, experimenting and solving problems on their own.
That’s why the conversation around tech talent needs to go beyond:
“How many people are learning tech?”
We should also be asking:
“How many people are getting the opportunity to practise what they’re learning?”
If you’re trying to build a career in tech, don’t make your goal simply to finish courses.
Make your goal to become useful.
Learn the fundamentals.
Practise what you learn.
Build projects.
Solve problems.
Document your work.
Create a portfolio.
Learn how to communicate.
Work with other people.
Ask questions.
Make mistakes.
Fix them.
And keep improving.
Because when someone eventually asks, “What can you do?”, you shouldn’t have to answer with only a list of courses you’ve completed.
You should be able to show them.
At Devosta, we believe technology education should go beyond simply consuming information.
Whether you’re exploring software development, Microsoft 365 or another technology path, the goal should be to develop skills you can actually apply.
The tech industry doesn’t need people who know everything.
It needs people who are willing to learn, practise, solve problems and keep growing.
And perhaps that’s where we should start closing the skills gap.
Learn. Practise. Build. Showcase. Apply. Repeat.