Progress so far
One year in, our five-year strategy to close the workforce digital skills gap is working.
In partnership with the business community and other stakeholders, we made significant progress in 2025.
Our Routes to 20 million strategy prioritised identifying and solving systemic barriers to progress.
Significant progress in 2025
In 2025, the FutureDotNow community made significant strides forward. Together, we closed critical data gaps, provided new tools to help employers take action and convened industry around our joint mission to close the workforce digital skills gap.
£23 billion UK productivity prize revealed
Ground-breaking research into how essential digital skills create social value
Govt. Digital Inclusion Action Plan includes focus on the digital skills of working age adults
AI-embedded Essential Digital Skills Framework scoped, including the four AI skills every work needs
Economic Impact Calculator launched to support business case development
New report sets out evidence-based actions to help employers boost digital skills
New Organisational Maturity Framework helps employers measure and accelerate progress
Scalable engagement routes built in Construction, Health & Care and Education sectors
200+ Workforce Digital Skills Charter signatories with reach of 2m+ workers.
Pinpointing progress
The workforce essential digital skills gap cuts across all demographics, every UK region and every sector. While 2025 saw some signs of progress, in many places the workforce is falling further behind.
Sector Mobilisation
Our Sector heatmap shows the essential digital skills position for each UK industry sector and whether or not it’s improving.
In most sectors, fewer than half of workers have the full suite of digital essentials for work.
Place-based Mobilisation
Our Place heatmap shows the essential digital skills position by region and nation and whether or not it’s improving.
No region has more than half its working population with the full suite of essential digital
The routes to 20 million strategy is working
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.
Organisations that supported our work in 2025
Across our Strategic Partner community, delivery plan workstreams and other key stakeholders, leading employers were key members of the FutureDotNow coalition in 2025.
As a Strategic Partner, Salesforce is proud to have supported FutureDotNow’s progress in 2025, building the evidence, tools and cross‑sector momentum needed to close the workforce digital skills gap. Together, we share a commitment to ensuring people and businesses are equipped to thrive in an AI‑enabled economy.
Avril Couper, Vice President Solution Engineering, Salesforce
