Why Classrooms need a Technology Renovation to Close the UK’s Digital Skills Gap

Technology in the classroom has long been a contentious issue. From the integration of laptops and tablets to educational computer games, the debate often centres around whether technology enhances learning – or distracts from it. Yet, as industries increasingly embrace technologies such as AI, data science, and automation, the question becomes more urgent: is our education system preparing students for the demands of a technology-driven workforce, or is it leaving them behind?

The facts point to a stark answer. The UK’s digital skills shortage costs the economy £63 billion annually in lost GDP. 18% of UK adults lack essential digital skills needed for the workplace, and 46% of businesses struggle to recruit graduates with the specialist skills they need. This gap is rooted in our schools and universities, which have struggled to keep pace with the rapid evolution of technology.

AI as a Catalyst for Change

When artificial intelligence moved from the realm of science fiction to reality with the launch of ChatGPT two years ago, two questions dominated public discourse; the first was whether AI would steal our jobs, and the second was – will it sap students’ motivation for learning, leaving the next generation incapable of thinking for themselves.

Fortunately, the fearmongering and apocalyptic predictions lessened with time and reason. Global leaders and policymakers moved towards thinking critically about how we can ensure AI is implemented as a force for good. International safety summits and white papers interrogated both the technology’s positive potential and real risks, putting in place regulatory frameworks designed to foster an environment for responsible adoption.

Unfortunately, however, these conversations did not offer the education sector the same amount of attention. While industries from healthcare to finance looked at how to maximise the benefits of AI, schools and universities debated whether AI-powered tools should be blocked and banned from classrooms altogether, citing concerns about cheating and plagiarism.

Embedding AI into the curriculum is an imperative step in ensuring that we maximise AI’s positive potential. Although a small handful of universities, such as UCL with its AI-focused postgraduate programmes, now offer degrees specifically targeted at future careers in technology, these efforts remain rare and arrive too late in a student’s education.

The foundation for digital literacy must be laid much earlier in schools, where students can not only build essential skills but also cultivate genuine interest and passion for technology-related disciplines.

Embedding Digital Skills into the Curriculum

The government’s renewed focus on tackling the skills shortage through the establishment of Skills England, a new body designed to upskill the workforce and drive economic growth, is a positive step. However, bridging this gap will require a seismic shift in how digital literacy is integrated into the curriculum.

It is about more than adding specific technological skills such as coding classes or software lessons, but about embedding critical thinking skills that embrace technology across the curriculum in a way that makes usability, awareness, and familiarity with various platforms central to learning.

Digital literacy must become as fundamental as reading and mathematics in primary education. Along with practical skills, schools must equip students with an understanding of how technology shapes the world, arming them with the confidence to navigate it.

As students progress through to secondary school, digital education should evolve to focus on how to engage both effectively and responsibly with AI. Rather than merely generating text or obtaining quick answers, AI education is about cultivating critical thinking and tackling complex challenges. Without proper guidance on how to utilise emerging tech, these tools risk being reduced to shortcuts for surface-level solutions – simultaneously leaving students ill-equipped for a workforce that increasingly demands proficiency and innovation with technology.

The Role of Industry Collaboration

Collaboration between educational institutions and industry professionals will also be critical to bridging this skills gap. Aligning what students learn in the classroom with what employers need in the workplace requires cross-sector engagement across technology companies, start-ups, and creative businesses alike.

Partnerships between business and education can inspire students to explore career pathways they might not have otherwise considered. Programmes such as Here East’s ‘Tech Stars and Tech Masters’ showcase this in action, introducing school students to careers in technology through hands-on workshops and mentorship from industry professionals. Offering training in areas including AI, robotics, and data analysis, these initiatives give young people a taste of working in the tech sector, while helping them build the skills they need to succeed.

Importantly, this approach also ensures that companies gain access to a pipeline of skilled and motivated talent, ready to meet the demands of a technology-driven economy. With one in three students already believing that learning how to use AI will help prepare them for the workforce, industry and education initiatives are well-positioned to build on this enthusiasm, ensuring that students are primed not just with technical expertise, but the innovative thinking, creativity, and adaptability required to navigate the changing job market.

As we confront this new era of technological disruption and innovation, our educational institutions – from primary school classrooms to university lecture halls – mustn’t leave young people behind. Teaching students how to use these tools responsibly and critically – whether for coding, art, design, or problem-solving – will empower them to lead the digital economy, not just participate in it.

By Gavin Poole, CEO of Here East