Report: ‘Digital skills gap costs Britain £63bn a year’

With recent ONS figures revealing that UK employment has reached a record high of 74.4 per cent, it is crucial to assess high-skill jobs as these are key to securing Britain’s digital future.

The Science and Technology Committee recently published a report stating that the digital skills gap was costing the UK economy £63 billion a year in lost GDP, with 30 per cent of required computer science teachers having not been recruited.

James Parsons, Founder & CEO of Arrows Group Global, comments: “The UK Government needs to continue looking at all angles to address the current digital skills shortage across the country, but when it comes to businesses, they need to adapt to the competitive talent market that is crucial to both short and long-term success.

“One of the fundamental issues that businesses have is attracting and retaining digital talent. To achieve this, businesses have to recognise that digital is much more than just a skillset, it is a culture of knowledge sharing and being agile. Retention becomes a key factor in a competitive market, requiring innovative approaches to engaging top talent.

“I would also advise that businesses review their strategic plan, looking at how and where they will attract, deploy and engage the very best digital talent. These aspects will key to the long-term profitability of businesses, especially in tricky market conditions.”