《全球数字技能差距-当前趋势和未来方向》-41页_2mb

Summary of "The Global Digital Skills Gap"

Core Content

This document explores the global digital skills gap, its causes, and potential solutions. It emphasizes the increasing importance of digital skills in the modern workforce, driven by rapid digitalisation and the adoption of emerging technologies. The report outlines how the gap between the demand for digital skills and the supply of digitally skilled workers is widening, affecting both individuals and businesses. It also discusses the broader implications of this gap, including its role in digital and social inequalities and its impact on economic growth and competitiveness.

Main Points

1. The Digital Skills Landscape

• Digitalisation has transformed the nature of work, making digital skills essential for the modern workforce.
• The demand for digital skills is growing across all levels, from basic to advanced, with 69% of job postings in 2019 in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, the United States, and Canada requiring digital skills.
• Employers are actively seeking digitally skilled employees to adapt to a more digitalised environment.
• In the EU, 57% of enterprises struggle to fill ICT specialist roles, with 64% of large enterprises and 56% of SMEs reporting challenges in finding suitable candidates.
• The digital skills gap has become more pronounced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the shift to digital work and commerce.

2. What is Driving the Digital Skills Gap

• Digitalisation and emerging technologies are increasing the demand for digital skills across all sectors.
• Digital and social inequalities limit access to digital skills, particularly for lower-income groups.
• Traditional education systems are not keeping pace with the evolving needs of employers.
• The pandemic has intensified the need for digital solutions, further highlighting the gap.
• Technological progress requires workers to continuously adapt their skills, which can be challenging for those without access to training or resources.

3. Implications of the Digital Skills Gap

• A lack of digital skills can lead to loss of competitive advantage for businesses.
• GDP growth risks are significant in G20 countries if the gap is not addressed. For example, India faces an annual GDP growth risk of 2.3 percentage points, while Canada and the United States face relatively lower risks (0.4 percentage points annually).
• Automation risk is high for certain roles, with 14% of jobs in OECD countries at high risk and 32% at significant risk of being automated.
• Middle-skilled workers are particularly vulnerable to job displacement and need to upskill or reskill to transition into higher-skilled roles.

4. How Organisations Can Address the Gap

• Common skills frameworks can help align talent with business needs.
• Skill-based hiring can assist in filling internal digital skills gaps.
• Upskilling and reskilling initiatives are critical for building resilient workforces.
• Labour and skill redistribution across businesses can help reduce skill mismatches.
• Digitally inclusive programmes can promote equitable access to digital skills.
• Industry experience opportunities can serve as effective alternatives to traditional training.
• A lifelong learning approach is essential for supporting workers in an evolving digital landscape.
• Cross-cutting partnerships among stakeholders (e.g., governments, businesses, educational institutions) are necessary to tackle the skills gap effectively.

Key Information

• Digital skills encompass the ability to use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access, manage, and create information.
• The skills gap is not only about recruitment but also about upskilling and reskilling existing employees.
• Soft skills and cognitive abilities are also crucial for adapting to digital environments.
• The report is a scoping study, not a comprehensive review, and aims to provide a snapshot of the digital skills landscape.
• It was prepared for Salesforce and is peer-reviewed by RAND Europe, which maintains editorial independence.

Conclusion

The digital skills gap is a pressing issue that affects economic growth, workforce resilience, and social equity. Addressing this gap requires a multi-faceted approach involving education reform, policy intervention, business strategies, and inclusive digital training initiatives. The urgency to close this gap has been heightened by the pandemic, and failure to do so could lead to long-term economic and social consequences.