Mind the gap…how do we upgrade the UK’s digital skill set?
We’re living through the Fourth Industrial Revolution – yet it’s crystal clear that the UK has a worrying digital skills gap. A FutureDotNow report from 2021 found that 12 million people in the UK lack essential digital skills – 36% of the workforce. And last year, 80% of respondents to Salesforce’s Global Skills Index said they ‘do not feel ready’ to operate in a digital-first world.
What impact does this have? The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) explored engineering employer perspectives in their ‘Skills for a Digital Future’ survey. They found that 49% of those reporting a digital skills gap in the current workforce said it harms productivity, restricts growth (35%), harms innovation (35%) and reduces ability to deliver contracts (29%). Such deficits have implications not only for the economy, but for individual progression and development.
Technology has progressed, and will continue to progress, at an incredible pace – and has become more widely available. Just look at the growth of AI, augmented reality, and automated vehicles. You’d be hard pressed to find a career that doesn’t, in some form, benefit from technological advancements.
In 2019, government research found that 82% of UK job openings requested digital skills, and roles requiring digital skills paid over £8,000 more annually – a difference even larger for high-skill jobs. The title of this research says it all – ‘No Longer Optional’. It therefore comes as no surprise that one of the five core transferrable skills in high demand from the 2022 Government report ‘Understanding current and future skills needs’ was digital and data skills.
How can we close this gap?
Access to a quality computing education encourages not only competency in digital skills, but also self-confidence in young people’s ability to liaise with technology. Opportunities to grow digital skills in school is particularly important for those without access to technology at home – one in five young people from lower socioeconomic groups lack access to a laptop, desktop or tablet leaving them at risk of being left behind. Also, young women are far less likely to take tech qualifications at all levels, giving half the workforce less opportunity to develop digital skills.
The National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) aims to tackle these challenges. It offers subject knowledge support for all key stages, and free resources to support teaching, giving more young people access to specialist computing knowledge. They’ve also researched how to improve the gender balance in computing, encouraging more girls to take subjects which contribute towards their digital skills. Evaluation in the NCCE’s latest impact report shows that engaging with the NCCE improves perceptions of computing, uptake of GCSE Computer Science, and student attainment. The NCCE also has a range of intensive digital skills CPD geared towards improving the teaching of computing.
More broadly, STEM Learning has identified – and maximised – our support for digital skills that relate to computing. The context and application for much of this belongs in other (STEM) subjects. It is key to focus on areas where there is evidence that digital practices can improve outcomes that are relevant to that subject (i.e. not for the sake of digital skills). Examples include data handling in maths and use of simulations in science.
Increasing the opportunity for young people to grow their digital skills and improving access to a quality computing education are significant steps towards decreasing the gap. We owe it to today’s young people to equip them with the skills and confidence they need to ensure this revolution does not leave them behind.
