More than half of East Midlands workers lack digital skills

Up to 59 percent of workers in the East Midlands are unable to use digital skills in the workplace to problem solve, communicate or operate safely online when required in the workplace, according to the latest Lloyds Bank Consumer Digital Index.

Nationally, the study found that those workers with digital skills earn on average £12,500 more per year than those without.

Outside of the workplace, one in five residents lack the full essential digital skills they need, meaning they struggle with tasks like turning on a device and logging into accounts, opening different programmes and using different menu settings.

Eleven percent of East Midlands residents are not online at all.

One in eight had little or no digital skills and classified themselves as ‘digitally disengaged’, slightly higher than the national average.

Of those not online, 67 per cent say worries about identity theft keeps them offline.

Jo Harris, Lloyds Banking Group’s ambassador for the Midlands, said: “While it’s encouraging to see that most people in the East Midlands have a solid understanding of the digital skills required for life, it’s clear we have some way to go to make sure people are also adopting the necessary digital skills for the workplace.

“That’s why we’re working with businesses and charities across the East Midlands to deliver digital skills training and working with local schools to help equip the next generation with the skills that will enable the region to prosper.”

Despite the lack of skills and increasing demand from employers, almost two thirds of workers have not received any digital skills training from their employer – including more than half of those in managerial roles and almost three quarters of manual workers.