|  Updated: 

It’s up to businesses to make sure no one gets left behind in the digital revolution

WUHAN, CHINA - JUNE 11: Chinese youngsters play online games overnight at an internet cafe on June 11, 2005 in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China. There are near 2,000 internet cafes in Wuhan, and the largest one has more than 1,000 computers. Most of the customers are students from middle schools and colleges, and the cost for overnight playing of each person is 6 Yuan (US$0.7). China has strengthened its supervision and management of computer games as more and more youngsters have indulged themselves in Internet, according to the state media. (Photo by Cancan Chu/Getty Images)

The digitisation of the global economy is transforming the way we communicate, work and live.

Today, you can transfer money to the other side of the world in the blink of an eye, pay for a coffee by tapping your phone, and open a bank account in minutes.

The startling growth of the UK’s innovative tech, media and creative sectors is of course something to celebrate. Fintech is a huge UK success story – making it cheaper, easier and quicker for consumers and businesses to access products that better meet their needs.

To make the most of opportunities arising from the fourth industrial revolution, however, we need to make sure that everybody has the skills needed to flourish in a digital UK. That is why we launched the future.now coalition at Mansion House last week to empower and motivate us all to meet this challenge.

The skills gap is already costing the UK economy an estimated £63bn annually, which could grow even bigger unless we act now. 

The reality is that we still are not doing enough, with more than 11m UK British adults lacking the vital skills needed to communicate and solve problems online, while three quarters of “offline” adults say that nothing could motivate them to change.

Technology has made it easier and cheaper than ever before to manage savings, set up a business, or send money to loved ones in other countries. It is a huge opportunity to improve the lives of millions of people.

That is why future.now is so important. This new coalition of leading companies, education providers and charities is working with the government to help everyone to thrive in a digital UK. The coalition is backed by commitments from more than 20 members, including our six founding partners: Accenture, BT, Canada Corporation, Good Things Foundation, Lloyds Banking Group, and Nominet. 

We have the potential to reach millions of people across the country through digital skills training.

You might think that there is no shortage of digital training out there already, but too few people prioritise the need to keep up with rapidly changing technology. Even those who are motivated often do not often know where to start. 

Working with leading consumer brands and the creative industries, future.now will help to shift perceptions of digital skills from boring and niche to fun and vital. It will also map what is available, and what works, to help people meet the challenge of digital skills.

It is time for major employers and broader civil society to step up, given that 53 per cent of UK employees do not have the essential digital skills required for the modern workplace. Together, the future.now coalition has committed to playing its part to address this national problem. 

We are calling on organisations around the country to make the pledge to prepare their workforce for the smarter jobs of the future and motivate their customers to build their digital intelligence. 

This coalition will help us all to enjoy the benefits of the digital revolution.

Main image credit: Getty