Fixing Britain's Digital Skills Gap

The digital skills gap is ubiquitous in most countries around the world. Even the world’s most technologically advanced countries, the UK included, are struggling with the pace of digital development which is rapidly accelerating.  

Many organisations are urgently considering how they can address digital skills shortages. There are two main factors in the digital skills gap that affect different sectors and economies in different proportions.

The first and possibly most pressing factor is the lack of digital skills amongst existing workforces. The second factor is the lack of properly trained graduates to fill digital posts in growing technological industries.

Britain has never been more depended on connected technology systems than during the coronavirus outbreak. Millions of employees are working from home, using personal devices and connecting to WiFi networks which are potentially insecure. 

There is a real need for more specialists within the digital and technology industries in the UK.

In 2019, The Open University published their ‘Bridging the Digital Divide’ research report, which highlights the growing problem on UK companies having a shortage of digital skills within their workforce, which is already having a significant negative impact on productivity, efficiency and competitiveness.

The UK government is already taking steps to address the issue; in 2019, the government announced they would invest £170m in 12 institutes of technology to strengthen the provision of technical education in England. By exploring non-local options, businesses can access the global talent they need to overcome the skills shortage facing the UK. Understandably, some businesses remain hesitant to embrace the remote work revolution.

Fortunately, businesses looking to access top talent in other countries now have effective and affordable options to hire the best talent quickly and in full compliance with local laws. By taking a more global approach to employment, we could not only improve opportunities for talented people across the world, but also allow technology companies to overcome the skills challenges the industry is facing today and compete more effectively on a global stage.

Businesses can multiply their cyber security power by deploying AI to manage large volumes of data, stop malware in its tracks and free up the team to focus on new threats. By working alongside automation, human teams will be better equipped and empowered to steer the organisation through the challenges of today’s complex threat landscape.

ITProPortal:          Open University:       Digital Skills Global:        ITProPortal:

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