speak to major employers in the technology sector every day – from the US and Canada to the UK and Australia – and they all say the same thing – we can ’ t get the people we need to grow .

The ‘ digital skills gap ’ is well documented – and while the task at ‘ solving ’ the problem may appear mammoth , the good news is that bridging this digital skills gap is not as complex as it seems . The solution is straightforward , but it ’ s one that will require a paradigm shift . In essence , we need to overhaul the way we think about skills .

For instance , we know millions of students go through university each year , often in fields unrelated to the needs of the economy . Put bluntly , we are creating a workforce that is over-educated and underemployed . While it ’ s admirable that so many people go to university – and certainly critical for many vocations – it ’ s not the only way . How many students are graduating with the high-demand skills the economy needs ?

Part of the problem is that current employment methods – which typically assess candidates solely on CVs and interviews – are not keeping pace with society ’ s needs . These outdated methods simply describe a person ’ s past without any thought to their future potential – which in turns feeds this dangerous trend of over-education .

Contrary to common belief , proficiency in the digital skills that will fuel our economy – for positions like cyber , analytics and JavaScript – does not require three years of study and a mortarboard .

This is where technology itself becomes the solution . At WithYouWithMe , we have created the ‘ Potential ’ platform , the world ’ s first – and only – end-to-end talent pipeline system .

By creating a data-led employment tool that guides employers through a process of discovery , training and deploying talent , we produce high-performing individuals and teams . Key to this is an ‘ ethical AI ’ model , which uses psychometric and aptitude testing to assess potential and match skills to digital careers .

It doesn ’ t matter what university you went to , or if you went to university at all . If an individual has the aptitude and attitude

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50 January 2023