The ‘hidden middle’: Unlocking the essential digital skills opportunity
An estimated 17.1 million adults (52% of the workforce) lack essential digital skills for work. FutureDotNow's work has revealed limited recognition and understanding of the role essential digital skills play in business productivity, as well as the scale of the ‘hidden middle’, between digital exclusion and advanced digital skills, that is without basic, essential digital skills.
Upskilling this “hidden middle” must be a critical part of the UK’s skills strategy. The UK ranks 41st in the world digital competitiveness rankings for employee training, so there is significant room for improvement. The FutureDotNow business coalition is working to tackle this. By coordinating action across industry, FutureDotNow aims to have a multiplier effect to tackle this at scale.
