Most employers in the UK are under the impression that cloud skills will be most in-demand by 2025, and are looking to upskill their staff, a new Amazon Web Services (AWS) report has found.
The cloud giant recently surveyed more than 16,000 employers and employees on the skills and competencies needed in the future workplace, and found that the ability to use cloud-based tools (for example, running an AWS cloud computing instance, or operating a cloud-based accounting software) will be the most in demand, ahead of cybersecurity, technical support, or advanced digital marketing skills.
However, as things stand today, the majority of the workforce lacks these abilities, as just 45% have trained, or are training for cloud competencies.
Improving employability for workers
Even though this sounds like a problem, most employers see it as an opportunity. In fact, almost four in five (79%) found that providing digital skills training in the workplace resulted in greater employee diversity. Diversity is a particularly important perk, as it can unlock significant benefits for organizations, the report states, including greater innovation and revenue.
They are also better positioned to attract and retain workers, who also enjoy it, as well, as 80% of tech, and 73% of non-tech workers in the UK faying they found digital skills training helps to improve their employability. Many non-tech workers also said it would help them switch careers, while others saw it as an opportunity to become more efficient at work.
One area that could be improved, AWS has found, is providing training for people with disabilities, as well as the unemployed. Today, just a quarter (25%) of organizations provide targeted digital skills training support for the former demographic, while 16% do it for unemployed individuals.
“By 2025, 97 million new roles will emerge due to increasing digitization,” said Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum.
“Skills are the currency of the future, and businesses and government must urgently work together to prepare workers for the jobs of tomorrow. When organizations like Amazon provide workforce programs for the public, they contribute to creating increased opportunities for individuals and communities around the world.”
