Going digital to bridge the skills gap

While the younger generations are being educated and getting their degree, they are not necessarily learning the right tools to be successful in tomorrow’s market.

So, the question remains: are we providing future generations with the right skills to succeed?

According to a recent report conducted with YouGov, 49 per cent of UAE respondents believe there is a skills gap in the market and 26 per cent of Middle East job seekers claim the educational system doesn’t train students on skills which are relevant in today’s workplace. Additionally, according to the World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of Jobs’ analysis, 21 per cent of core skills required across all occupations will be different by 2020.

IDC, the global market intelligence firm, also projected that more than one in three IT positions will be cloud-related by 2020 and the availability and skill level of cloud professionals will have a direct impact on business success.

Organisations in the UAE, as well as globally, must ensure that the current and future workforce is fully equipped for this digital shift. For future generations, academic curriculums must integrate digital education into its teachings and, for current employees, we must provide relevant training to ensure they are able to grow with the market.

A great example for us to follow is the UAE’s recent launch of the One Million Arab Coders initiative. The initiative will provide participants with free training in developing computer codes, in line with achieving the UAE’s goals of a future digital economy. Another example is Microsoft Gulf, who recently launched a cloudrelated training and certification offer for UAE IT professionals which aims to increase the adoption of new cloud technologies and help participants advance their technical skills.

Moving forward, it is crucial that we encourage and empower individuals to stay ahead of the digital revolution. As the world continues to move towards a digital marketplace, there is an ongoing need to evolve academic and training curriculums along with it. To ensure the success of future generations, as well as our economy, the skills gap must be filled. The writer is managing director — Apac and Middle East, Monster.com. Views expressed are his own and do not reflect the newspaper’s policy.