We are all acutely aware of the upheavals that 2020 brought to our lives and the world at large. There are obvious disruptions such as remote working and schooling, new healthcare imperatives, and generally, a significant shift of social norms. But what has been the impact of digital skills deficiencies on the newly entering and existing workforce? For economies and communities worldwide, COVID-19 has accelerated the pace of digitization, upending business models and intensifying demand for digital acumen among learners, workers, and employers. Government, academic and corporate leaders must now collaborate to equip the global workforce with the evolving digital skills that underpin every job of the future.

Recognizing the need to measure the extent of digital competence, Wiley has leveraged our global network and expertise in education and workforce development to compile the inaugural Digital Skills Gap Index (DSGI), which ranks 134 economies and territories based on a battery of global indicators. These findings reflect the digital maturity and resilience needed for pandemic recovery, sustained competitiveness, growth, and prosperity.

What is the digital skills gap?

“Digital skills gap” is defined as the mismatch between the demand and supply of workers with the digital skills sought by employers. Over the next five years, based on research released by Microsoft Data Science, the global workforce is poised to add 149 million new technology-oriented jobs, led by emerging fields such as data analytics, software development, and cybersecurity. In a study of American workers by the Pew Research Center, 85% of respondents cited digital skills as either extremely important or very important prerequisites for success in today’s workplace. Yet, according to Wiley’s DSGI, only 4.2% of our opinion survey respondents were completely satisfied with the level and availability of digital skills.

Key findings in the DSGI

Other key findings of the DSGI include:

• Of the 134 economies and territories included in DGSI, Singapore ranked the highest.
• The STEM gender gap persists. Almost half of the survey respondents cited the gender gap in their economy as either “Very Significant” or “Significant.”
• Only around a third of survey respondents considered their economy’s skills development systems to be “Strong.”
• 80.3% of survey respondents said “data analytics” is the most important technical skill of the next five years.

The digital skills mismatch between employers’ needs and job seekers’ talents is a severe and urgent concern for companies. The business community is most acutely aware of, and arguably most directly affected by the digital skills gap. Corporations need to cultivate a more strategic approach to digital human capital and take a more nimble and responsive view to developing talent in collaboration with the rest of the learning ecosystem.

The skills needed to operate and succeed in the modern knowledge-based economy requires familiarity with digital tools, but it also demands critical thinking, problem-solving, effective communication, and collaboration. Integrating cutting-edge digital skills while increasing these complementary “workplace” skills is an additional challenge. It is this aspect of learning where the skills gap is particularly severe and needs to be addressed expeditiously. And in a digital world subject to faster change in technologies and business models, lifelong learning is more critical than ever.

Coming to a solution

The DSGI is a planning tool geared to help policymakers, educators, and HR teams close the digital skills divide within their workforce. Use this resource to:

• Get an overview of the global rankings in an interactive heatmap
• Compare economies by region or income group
• Compare scores between two economies
• Review individual economy profiles to understand their strengths and weaknesses

Wiley is ideally placed to lead this important initiative given its global scope, deep strengths in education, training, and research, and commitment to career-connected education. For more than 200 years, Wiley has been helping people and organizations develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. The DGSI is a small contribution to bridging the digital skills divide.

Start today by visiting dsgi.wiley.com and download our free white paper.