2024 delivery plan: Strategy

The Strategy area of the 2024 delivery plan is focussed on the actions required to develop a shared national strategy to upskill millions of working age adults with Essential Digital Skills for Work.

There are four distinct workstreams, each led and supported by members of the FutureDotNow coalition. If you’d like to get involved, contact hello@futuredotnow.uk.

Strategy action area co-leads:

Emma Kendrew
Technology Lead (UK&I)

Chintan Patel
Chief Technology Officer (UK&I)

Strategy workstreams:

1. Shared statement of ambition

Ambition for 2024

Upskilling the workforce in the Essential Digital Skills recognised as a critical part of the UK’s digital skills challenge.  A shared statement of ambition (manifesto) developed and adopted by industry, opinion formers and policy makers has delivered a consistent mantra for action.

New approach developed to measure collective impact on helping the workforce build essential digital skills, with first round reporting.

Sprint 1 objectives
(Jan-March)

 
  • Manifesto drafted and socialised, with first signatories secured
  • Messaging being adopted by key opinion former partners such as techUK, BusinessLDN, CIPD
  • Manifesto formal launch at Accelerate 2024

Sprint 1 achievements
(Jan-March)
  • The Charter provides a consistent mantra for action, the first step towards a national ambition to close the workforce digital skills gap.
  • The first wave of signatories – 30+ cross-sector organisations from large business, SMEs, convening organisations, trade associations, campaigners, and public bodies.

Working group led by:

Workstream supported by:

 

2. Future-fit work skills framework

Ambition for 2024

The framework for essential digital skills in the workforce has been validated by industry, with an appropriate review process established that ensures it keeps pace with tech developments (e.g. AI). Formal ownership and review process in place.

The framework is underpinned by appropriate standards and curriculum.

Framework recognised and adopted by industry as the digital skills baseline for workers.

Sprint 1 objectives
(Jan-March)
  • A clear statement of requirements for the current framework developed and tested by industry.
  • Key stakeholders to take forward any improvement program of work identified and engaged.
  • What is meant by standards and curriculum defined, along with residual open questions (carry into future sprints).
  • Clarity delivered on the relationship between the work skills in the essential digital framework and emerging AI skills needed by the workforce.

Sprint 1 achievements
  • Survey designed to gather views across all sectors and to test current assumptions
  • Current position on who owns the framework is now documented
  • Connection / relationship between essential digital skills and emerging AI skills frameworks established

Workstream led by:

Workstream supported by:

 

3. Economic impact assessment of the workplace digital skills gap

Ambition for 2024

Gaps in the evidence base on economic impact of the workforce essential digital skills gap will have been closed. 

Richer understanding of the economic impact allows workforce essential digital skills to be appropriately prioritised.

Sprint 1 objectives
(Jan-March)
  • Call for evidence on existing economic impact data underway to enable consolidation of knowledge and gap identification.
  • Work underway with stakeholders to identify what data matters and to whom to inform next phase of work.

Sprint 1 ahievements
  • Existing data reviewed, identifying a clear data gap. The limited data available is non-specific and
    out of date, with no government-owned data sources.  
  • Headline research brief built, which will be underpinned by a simple and credible economic model
    to measure the impacts of workforce essential digital skill levels. 
  • In the process of socialisation with research partners to help inform next steps.

Workstream led by:

Workstream supported by:

 

4. Workforce digital skills recognised as a method of delivering social impact

Ambition for 2024

Building essential digital skills within the workforce will be established as a credible method of delivering ESG social impact. 

This unlocks capacity and impact by creating new appetite/motivation among business leaders to build skills in their workforce and wider community.

Sprint 1 objectives
(Jan-March)
  • Evaluation completed on how (if) building essential digital skills in the workforce can be evidenced as social value in public sector bids.
  • Exploratory activity underway on wider ESG social relationship.

Sprint 1 achievements
  • This workstream is yet to be fully scoped and stood up. Anna Farquarson (ISS) has agreed to lead alongside Liz Williams.
  • Preliminary work underway in partnership with Deloitte and Good Things Foundation to help organisations measure and report on how digital inclusion and digital capacity building activities (including Essential Digital Skills for work) contribute to social value.

Workstream led by:

Workstream supported by:

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Employer Action workstreams
Culture workstream