FutureDotNow is leading the mission to close the hidden middle – the essential digital skills gap at the core of the UK workforce.
Less than half of the UK labour force has all the digital skills that industry and government agree are essential for work – and for delivering the UK’s AI ambitions.
We have a national strategy to convene industry and influence policy, and a delivery plan that is mobilising action and overcoming systemic barriers to progress.
Routes to 20 million
Routes to 20 million is FutureDotNow’s five-year strategy to close the workforce digital skills gap.
Building on our progress, we’re working to engage more businesses and provide the tools they need to take action on the digital skills gap. We’re convening an active cross-sector coalition, and campaigning for greater understanding and further action.
Our delivery plan
Our delivery plan brings together a community of individuals from across the FutureDotNow coalition to help deliver our plan to close the workforce digital skills gap.
We deliver three 10-week sprints a year, with workstreams focused on tackling systemic barriers to progress and engaging key audiences for scale impact.
Progress so far
Working with the business community and other stakeholders, we made significant progress in 2025, prioritising work to identify and solve systemic barriers to progress.
Government ownership of Essential Digital Skills Framework
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology taking on stewardship of the Essential Digital Skills Framework marked a significant moment of success for FutureDotNow’s campaigning work.
Sector-wide impact
In most sectors, fewer than half of workers have the full suite of digital essentials for work. Some are making progress, but others are falling further behind.
The regional picture
Every part of the UK is experiencing the essential digital skills gap – and in the many regions, the gap is widening.
Emerging digital technologies like generative AI are revolutionising how businesses interact with customers and the way we work. However, to capitalise on this opportunity we need to ensure our workforce is digitally equipped.
Salesforce is proud to support FutureDotNow. Only by working together as all stakeholders, can we take action to better support workers to navigate this new era.
Zahra Bahrololoumi CBE,
CEO UK&I, Salesforce
