By Babatunde Emmanuel

 Creativity is dynamic.  Hence,  the world isn’t static but evolving. As we often witness, man’s creative ability has proven to have a direct impact on the functionality of his ecosystem,  with technology moving from one phase of development to another.

 In the past, prehistoric men had infinitestimal knowledge on  how their ecosystem  functioned  or on how creative thinking could directly impact and transform the world. But day by day, as the world passes through times and seasons, man’s creativity and ability to explore grew.  Things began to shift with changes starting to take place.

Today, the world, though not yet at its peak, has attained significant heights in technological innovation. Exemplifying this technological innovation is web3. Best  known  and referred to as the third generation, the evolution of the World Wide Web started in 1989 and was invented by Tim Berners-Lee, who is, till today, regarded as the father of the World Wide Web. This innovation began while he was working at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory. 

The first generation, Web 1.0, evolved in 1989, marking  a significant turnaround in technology. Web 1.0 was a simple form of the web that allowed users to mainly read information.

 It consisted mostly of static websites with very little interaction, built with simple HTML pages. It was regarded as the “Read-Only Web,” allowing users to read articles and search for data and information created by specific companies. However, man’s thirst for innovation and knowledge was  insatiable, resulting in the invention  of Web 2.0.

 Web 2.0 is the second generation of the World Wide Web, which started around 2004 and was popularized by Tim O’Reilly.

 It was an advancement of Web 1.0. In Web 1.0, only a few internet companies controlled the content, with the users consuming information without being able to give feedback, present their views, or question the information. This one-sidedness on the part of the creators led to the evolution of Web 2.0.

 Web 2.0 was mostly regarded as “Web as a Platform.” It allowed users to access information, create, interact, and engage with content. It is worth noting that Web 2.0 led to the creation of many social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, as well as the creation of mobile apps.

 While Web 2.0 was user-friendly, users still couldn’t own the content they created, as centralized platforms controlled data and privacy.

Thus, a better generation of the web was yearned for: a system where individuals are free to create and own content on the internet. This is the third generation, known as Web3.

 Web3 was a proposed future for the World Wide Web envisioned by Tim Berners-Lee. He envisioned a future where machines could communicate seamlessly, creating intelligent agents to handle various aspects of daily life. Web3 can be regarded as the new generation vault of knowledge and information as it is an envisioned reality by the father of the world-wide-web. 

It is called the scientific web or the “read-write-execute” web, where users are allowed to create, own, and control content. Web3 is built by leveraging blockchain. Hence, it allows for decentralization and peer-to-peer systems. 

These decentralized attributes have brought about innovations such as blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, smart contracts, decentralized applications (dApps), and NFTs.

Career Paths in Web3

In our present world, success is often based not on who is the most hardworking, smartest, or strongest, but on who is the most informed. Information is life, therefore, leveraging Web3 as a means of employment could be a great turning point for many youths.

The emergence of Web3 has opened doorways for career opportunities such as community management, content writing, social media management, blockchain development, graphic design, research and analysis, and smart contract development. Well-informed youth, especially serious-minded students, are looking past high unemployment rates and taking up core technological skills to fit into these newly available career paths.

 Required skills include  effective communication which is a basic minimum for anyone working online because it requires you to collaborate with people often far away. Other skills include writing, digital marketing, graphic design, and essential problem-solving abilities. Sometimes technical skills like coding are important in order to completely fit into this working system.

The emergence of Web3 is also a great opportunity because it allows for a flexible working style. It provides the privilege of remote work, something past generations couldn’t enjoy.

Additionally, it changes the dynamics of employment. Formerly, people had to attend physical interviews, submit CVs, and undergo in-person training. Now, people build careers through online learning, building portfolios, and leveraging social media for visibility.

Therefore, Web3 is not just an expansion in technological scope, it is a source of knowledge, skills, and wealth generation for those who are  well informed of how it works and how to leverage its utility.

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