More than half of under-18s lack essential digital skills, NCFE finds

NCFE has urged employers not to assume younger people are digitally work-ready, after research found more than half of under-18s lacked the essential digital skills needed for modern life. 

The ‘No One Left Offline’ campaign found one in five respondents across all age groups lacked the digital skills needed to fully take part in today’s digital world.

FutureDotNow estimated more than 20 million working-age adults cannot complete all of the digital tasks considered essential for today’s workplace. 

David Redden, digital skills specialist at NCFE, said: “Growing up online doesn’t automatically prepare young people for today’s digital workplace. 

“We often assume that because young people have grown up surrounded by smartphones, social media and technology, they’ll naturally have the digital skills employers are looking for. However, this isn’t always the case.

“Digital skills are a fundamental requirement for participating in education, employment and everyday life, yet many people still don’t have the skills they need to get by.”

Redden added: “As technology continues to evolve, it’s becoming increasingly important that we help people build those skills rather than assume they already have them.

“For employers, what’s key is helping people understand their digital skills and creating the platform for them to continue developing those skills throughout their careers.”