When it comes to building a successful career, your skills act as the cornerstone. Digital skills emerge as a game-changer in current times as they can make or break your career. These skills make you more adaptable to the challenges of remote work, apart from giving you the winning advantage in the job market.
The education and research giant Wiley conducted the Digital Skills Gap Index (DSGI) survey to highlight the shortcomings faced by digital skills ecosystems of APEC economies, including India. Students and professionals can take a cue from the study to understand the skill gaps and pick the best options for skilling, upskilling, and reskilling to become more relevant for future jobs. Here are the key facts that the Digital Skills Gap Index 2021 highlights.
- According to 85.3% of the respondents, problem-solving is the most relevant soft skill in the 21st century. Nearly 80.3 % of the participants agreed that data analytics and algorithms are the most significant technical skill.
- Nearly half of the respondents state that modern employees are not capable of handling data in a moral manner.
- Only 4.2% of respondents show satisfaction with the level and availability of digital skills.
- The Education and Training sector across the APEC economies is the one with the widest gap in digital skills.
- About 60.6% of respondents believe that the current digital skills training programmes do not align with the existing requirements.
- 54.8% of the respondents state that the education system fails to match the digital skill requirements of the employers.
- 48.6% of participants agree with the existence of a considerable gender gap in the STEM fields.
- Only 51.4% of respondents find that employers’ needs match with the applicant’s digital skills.
- More than 10% of the participants consider poor digital awareness and understanding and resistance to upskilling and re-skilling as the biggest hindrances in closing the digital skills gap.
- The survey also highlighted that 61.8% of students graduating from tertiary education institutions have the relevant digital knowledge required for an entry-level job.
WHY DIGITAL SKILLS ARE ESSENTIAL
Digital skills are essential in the new normal as the pandemic has transformed the way organisations work on a day-to-day basis. Technology has played a key role in helping employees and employers to adapt to the new working conditions. Additionally, the growing use of innovations such as Blockchain, Data Analytics, and AI across all industries has led to the surge in demand for niche digital skills.
Staying relevant and standing apart in the competitive job landscape depends on possessing these new-world skills. Embrace them sooner rather than later and get a step closer to your dream career.
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