Govt. commits to raise digital capability across workforce in Digital and Tech Jobs Plan
This week, the Government’s Digital and Technologies Jobs Plan set out an ambition to create new routes into digital and technology careers, while building the digital skills the UK needs for future growth.
Alongside developing the specialist technology talent of tomorrow, the plan recognises that success depends on building and sustaining digital and AI capability across the existing workforce.
In the plan, published this week by the newly expanded Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Government acknowledged that: “The specialist roles this plan prioritises cannot be filled or used well by organisations whose wider workforce lacks basic digital confidence.”
As well as specialists who can advance fields such as quantum and semiconductor design, the plan seeks to deliver “people who can apply AI and cyber security in businesses and public services across every region and nation of the UK.”
The plan also commits to strengthening essential digital skills through the refreshed Essential Digital Skills Framework, alongside an approach to lifelong learning and continual upskilling.
“Everyone should be able to build the digital and technology skills they need to enter, stay and progress in good work.”
FutureDotNow welcomes the ambition of this plan. Its publication comes as the scale of the UK’s workforce digital skills challenge remains significant.
Today, just 45% of working-age adults have all the digital skills government and industry agree are essential for work. The gap exists across every sector, every region and every age group. Around one in two 18 to 24-year-olds are missing some of these essential skills.
This is not only a digital and technology sector issue. As AI changes jobs and workplaces in all sectors, strengthening these foundations for everyone becomes even more important.
The challenge extends well beyond the digital and technology sector. As AI changes jobs and workplaces across the economy, strengthening these foundations for everyone becomes increasingly important.
The Jobs Plan is an important step forward. The focus now turns to delivery and supporting employers to understand the digital capability of their people, identify gaps and take practical action to build the skills everyone needs to thrive as technology continues to reshape work.
Ensuring that people across the UK can build these essential digital and AI capabilities will be an important part of translating the plan’s ambition into growth.
