Dive Brief:

• A vast majority of jobs (92%) analyzed by the National Skills Coalition and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta require digital skills — but one-third of workers surveyed do not have the foundational skills required to enter these jobs, according to the NSC’s report released Feb. 6.
• Demand for such skills exists across industries — not just tech — and is in “every occupation, including entry-level and frontline positions,” NSC said in a statement.
• The findings are in relation to ongoing efforts to implement the Digital Equity Act, a bipartisan infrastructure law that provides funding to states to advance digital skill building for all populations.

Dive Insight:

As the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics posts unexpectedly high job gains, concerns remain about workforce participation and finding the right workers for needed jobs, experts previously told HR Dive.

Earlier research by NSC indicated the pandemic only intensified the need for workers with digital skills, particularly in essential industries, such as healthcare and social work. But at an event hosted weeks before lock downs spread across the country, NSC fellows discussed the glaring, tech-related gaps present in the workforce that extend from front-line workers to managers.

The wide-scale shift to remote work also highlighted the need for digital skills, a Randstad report noted in 2021, making many employers recognize upskilling as a priority. As such, employers may be turning to “quiet hiring” — a buzzy way to talk about internal development, promotion and hiring, especially as the economy remains somewhat in flux.

Read the full report here