This report by the Learning and Work Institute states that since 2015, the number of students opting to take a GCSE in IT has fallen by 40% demonstrating that long before the pandemic the digital skills gap was present. The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated this, so it is more important than ever before that we implement solutions to educate the next generation with the skills to meet industry demand.
This report explores digital skills and the future of the labour market in the UK. The report examines the perspectives of employers in terms of demand for skills and the digital skills gap, as well as the perspective young people have of digital skills. The report is based on new surveys of over 1,000 businesses, and over 2,000 young people, as well as an employer focus group and a review of existing evidence.
Young people have been hit by a double-whammy of disrupted education and labour market disadvantage as a result of the pandemic. The crisis has caused millions of young people to miss months of education, contributing to widening educational inequalities. The economic impact of the pandemic has hit the young hardest, with those aged 16-24 accounting for three in five jobs lost.
Digital skills will be crucial for the future of the UK economy as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic. Improving digital skills will both help us build on the UK’s status as a world-leader in digital tech, and help drive growth, productivity and innovation across the rest of the economy. Supporting young people to develop the digital skills that employers need – both through schools, further education, apprenticeships and higher education – will be vital to helping them succeed in the labour market of the future.