As many of the world's industries are faced with increasing competitive pressure and the need to continually improve their performance, employers look to new employees with computer fluency skills as an indicator that the person also has initiative to tackle difficult learning projects and master them. Initiative is very valuable in today's labor market. When combined with computer fluency and literacy, a prospective employee can add in knowledge of a specific industry and gain a greater competitive advantage in getting a new position. This combination of factors together is what serves as the catalyst for anyone seeking a career where computer fluency is a necessary requirement. Summary

The level of computer literacy and their level of fluency with PCs, applications, the Internet and its many applications and research tools will have a direct correlation to what they will earn over their lifetimes; this point is clear from the studies citied. In addition the greater the computer fluency, the greater the ability to stay agile and able to change in response to requirements and ultimately the greater the employability and assurance of continued employment. Computer fluency and literacy, combined with initiative and knowledge of collaborative software applications and techniques, sets a solid foundation for career growth.

References

Ulla Bunz "The Computer-Email-Web (CEW) Fluency Scale -- Development and Validation." International Journal of Human - Computer Interaction

17, no. 4 (January 1, 2004): 479-506. www.proquest.com (Accessed April 30, 2008).

Copacino, William C "Skills development -- the best defense against downsizing." Logistics Management, January 1, 1997, 42.

A www.proquest.com (Accessed April 30, 2008).

Peter Dolton, Gerry Makepeace, Helen Robinson. "USE it or LOSE it? The IMPACT of COMPUTERS on EARNINGS*." The Manchester School 75, no. 6 (December 1, 2007): 673. http://www.proquest.com (Accessed April 28, 2008).

Andy Dickerson,...

"The growth and valuation of computing and other generic skills." Oxford Economic Papers 56, no. 3 (July 1, 2004): 371-406. http://www.proquest.com (Accessed April 30, 2008).
Francis Green, Alan Felstead, Duncan Gallie, Ying Zhou. "COMPUTERS and PAY." National Institute Economic Review no. 201 (July 1, 2007): 63-75. http://www.proquest.com (Accessed April 30, 2008).

Keen, Peter G.W. "Computers and Managerial Choice." Organizational Dynamics 14, no. 2 (October 1, 1985): 35. www.proquest.com (Accessed April 30, 2008).

Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia, Cindy Zoghi. "Returning to the Returns to Computer Use." The American Economic Review 95, no. 2 (May 1, 2005): 314-317. www.proquest.com (Accessed April 30, 2008).

Footnotes

Francis Green, Alan Felstead, Duncan Gallie, Ying Zhou. "COMPUTERS and PAY." National Institute Economic Review no. 201 (July 1, 2007): 74, 75. http://www.proquest.com (Accessed April 29, 2008).

Ibid. pp. 64-66

Keen, Peter G.W. "Computers and Managerial Choice." Organizational Dynamics 14, no. 2 (October 1, 1985): 35. www.proquest.com (Accessed April 30, 2008).

Peter Dolton, Gerry Makepeace, Helen Robinson. "USE it or LOSE it? The IMPACT of COMPUTERS on EARNINGS*." The Manchester School 75, no. 6 (December 1, 2007): 673. http://www.proquest.com (Accessed April 28, 2008).

Andy Dickerson, Francis Green. "The growth and valuation of computing and other generic skills." Oxford Economic Papers 56, no. 3 (July 1, 2004): 371-406. http://www.proquest.com (Accessed April 29, 2008).

Ulla Bunz "The Computer-Email-Web (CEW) Fluency Scale -- Development and Validation." International Journal of Human - Computer Interaction

17, no. 4 (January 1, 2004): 481, 482. www.proquest.com (Accessed April 30, 2008).

Francis Green, Alan Felstead, Duncan Gallie, Ying Zhou. "COMPUTERS and PAY." National Institute Economic Review no. 201 (July 1, 2007): 63-75. http://www.proquest.com (Accessed April…