intelligent
// EDITOR ’ S QUESTION ?
KEVIN HANEGAN , CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER AT QLIK
A recent survey published this year found almost a fifth of companies in the UK have a digital skills gap , with more than 14 % of businesses struggling to find the right digital talent . But at the same time , digital skills such as data literacy , coding and information processing are currently more in demand than ever . Another report shows nearly 82 % of all jobs in the UK list digital skills as a requirement – showing the gap between supply and demand when it comes to digital is only widening .
Having the right digital skills not only supports businesses but helps job applicants and employees negotiate higher pay , progress in their careers and even protects them against a level of automation in their roles . SMEs are at particular risk of suffering digital skills gaps in their workforces in the UK . With smaller budgets to invest back into staff training , many SMEs and associations , including techUK , have been calling for a Digital Skills Tax Credit to boost productivity and skills and protect the sector from being left behind .
This month , the government unveiled its ‘ Levelling Up ’ strategy to improve UK services , including education , broadband and transport , as well as boost skills opportunities nationally . A core part of this includes the government ’ s £ 3.8 billion investment into skills boot camps , as previously announced in the Autumn Budget – and while this is certainly a step
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SMES CAN
HELP TACKLE THE INCREASING DIGITAL SKILLS GAP BY TRUSTING THEIR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS WITH DATA .
in the right direction , this momentum must continue to ensure UK adults can apply for today ’ s most in-demand jobs .
SMEs can help tackle the increasing digital skills gap by trusting their employees to make their own decisions with data . Giving them access to dashboards and tools will empower staff to make changes to schedules , improve relationships with suppliers and plan more effectively . These tools will also enable business operations to scale more effectively .
With Active Intelligence and real-time access to data , SMEs can bring more staff on the ground into daily decision-making and help to reduce pressure on senior managers . Boosting data literacy will help drive employees ’ confidence in their skills and , in the longer term , help boost business growth and accelerate economic recovery after the pandemic by ensuring they are acting on relevant insights .
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SMES ARE AT PARTICULAR RISK OF SUFFERING DIGITAL SKILLS GAPS IN THEIR WORKFORCES IN THE UK .
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