THE ANNUAL GENERATION survey of 13-17 year olds revealed today that society’s youngsters are tech savvy, secure and demanding.

The annual survey entitled The Realtime Generation – How UK 13-17 year olds are coping in a digital, dangerous and dynamic world, shows how this age group is utilising technology, and how they are ‘evolving their lives to cope with the ever growing opportunity to engage with, and through, work and social communications and information tools.’

The research which is commissioned by Logicalis shows, among many other things, that 13-17 year olds (Realtime kids) are interested in having the latest technology, but not so interested in developing it.

A shocking 78 per cent of the 1004 questioned say they actually prefer face-to-face communication as opposed to social networking sites – and don’t post personal information online – who’d have thought it?

Whether this is down to better parental control, the effect of scare stories or just a growing understanding of the risks of social networking, they are now actively managing their digital fingerprints.

Some 46 per cent of the kids questioned said they would expect Universities to provide a PC to either use or own though. None was asked where the £150 million per annum to pay for them all might come from.

Only 11 per cent of those asked plan to study sciences – causing a shortage of tech workers in a society of technology consumers and hardly any innovators.

The survey also pointed out that if Universities offered a free laptop as part of the University package – 34 per cent would strongly consider going – but would quickly take that back if they realised students were contributing towards the £150 million.

Tom Kelly, managing director of Logicalis says that “if we can educate them on the correlation between science and the gadgets they can’t live without, and spark their interest before choosing their GCSE options, we can influence the future of British industry.” µ