WIREDGOV

The digital skills landscape is undergoing a significant realignment. Over recent years, the conversation has moved on from simply building digital systems towards something more complex: how they are operated, governed, and protected at scale.  

While foundational digital skills remain important, employer led research consistently shows that growth in demand is increasingly concentrated in data, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. These are no longer specialist or niche capabilities but skills fast becoming core capabilities across the economy. 

For employers and those working with learners in adult education and training, this shows a shift beyond whether more advanced capability is required towards how learning and skills development should support progression into roles with responsiveness and flexibility in routes to support the greatest number of learners’ needs.  

A changing skills mix 

According to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2025, technology-related skills continue to dominate projected growth through to 2030 – with AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity, and technological literacy identified as the fastest-growing skill areas globally.