Generation X worried about keeping up with digital skills

Employers will pay a premium of up to £10,000 a year for digital skills, including programming and software design, according to an analysis of 88,000 UK job adverts.

The analysis by Barclays Digital Development Index 2017 includes an assessment of the digital skills and confidence of 6,000 adults. It shows those with graphic design, data and 3D modelling skills could earn a premium of up to £3,000 a year.

The Barclays Index shows a mismatch between the need for skills and those able to provide them. Some 63 per cent of UK jobs require digital skills such as word-processing, database spreadsheet or social media management skills, but only 57 per cent of the workforce have these capabilities.

It says Generation X are in danger of being left behind, with those aged 35-44 are 11 per cent less likely than their millennial colleagues to say they are very confident about their digital skills. Generation X workers are also more worried about their ability to keep their skills up-to-date (23 per cent have confidence in their ability to do so, versus 28 per cent for millennials).

The analysis also shows education boosts digital skills.

Ashok Vaswani, CEO of Barclays UK said: “People’s level of digital prowess is fast becoming a key determinant of their earning power, yet the UK today is a patchwork of digital skills. Where you live, how old you are, what you do and your education level have an impact on your digital abilities and confidence.

“Digital skills can provide a vital boost to household finances and everyone deserves the opportunity to benefit from this. At a time when wage growth is so important to families in the UK, we must act fast to improve our home-grown digital skills if the UK is to stay at the forefront of the global digital economy post-Brexit.”

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