UK is failing to adopt digital skills, Lords committee warns
Digital skills should be taught as a core subject in schools, along with the likes of English and Maths, according to the recommendations of the House of Lords digital skills select committee.
In September, England became the first G20 country to add computer programming to the curriculum, to improve the skills of children and graduates for when they enter the workplace, but yesterday’s report warns that teachers are not yet equipped to teach the curriculum.
The report published by the cross-party committee said that a, “lack of co-ordination and urgency were common themes throughout our inquiry”.
The report continued: “We were concerned that there was a level of complacency around delivery of the new computing curriculum.”
The digital skills select committee chair, Baroness Morgan, called the report “a wake-up call to whoever forms the next government in May”.
Her call was backed by the UK’s largest technology trade association techUK, which represents firms including BT and Arm.
“One of the biggest inhibitors for the growth of tech companies is the inability to find people with appropriate skills,” Antony Walker deputy chief executive of TechUK told City PM
“We see issues from the classroom to the boardroom in terms of nurturing and supporting talent, there’s still more can be done.”