Can the UK Avoid the Digital Skills Crisis?

Brian Baglow

27 November 2017, 11.30am

Digital Skills Survey: How Can the Government Help the digital skills shortage?

As the digital technology sector contributes ever more to the UK economy, how can the country meet the growing demand for digital skills?

The issue of digital skills is one which has been covered in the technology press (including DIGIT) with increasing frequency over the last several months. From education in schools, to apprenticeships and professional retraining, it’s clear that the demand for technically capable people is outsripping supply.

As the UK faces the ongoing uncertainty of BREXIT and the loss of access to staff from the EU, the focus on skills has redoubled. Digital technology is at the heart of the country’s new industrial strategy, with a focus on AI and robotics highlighted as key drivers for a high-value economy.

How can the UK cope with these increasing demands?

Skills Survey

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is now leading a review of the UK’s advanced and specialist digital skills to help identify how the country can not only maintain but grow an even stronger digital workforce.

They are asking Scottish employers and stakeholders in the digital technology sector to tell them what must happen to meet current and future demands for digital skills.

The DCMS are asking all stakeholders to respond to the online survey, capturing detailed insights about skills issues that will enable government to respond.

There is also an event taking place in Edinburgh on December 12 2017, bringing together employers, academics and other stakeholders. The researchers will present findings to date, followed by a group discussion on issues such as skills needs, shortages, closing the gender gap in the digital workforce and crucially, what actions government should take. There will be an opportunity to network over lunch.

Keith Pye, the director of Pye Tait, which is conducting the research, told DIGIT: “We are only too aware of how busy employers are, but the digital sector urgently needs your input into this research. The skills shortages in the sector are getting more and more pressing every day. The question is how can we change things for the better?”