Many UK workers want to learn new digital skills, such as coding, and use them to advance their careers and help their organization in its digital transformation efforts.
This is according to a report from low-code firm Mendix, based on a poll of 250 full-time workers, which states that almost three-quarters (72 percent) want to learn new digital skills, and nearly half (49 percent) are interested in building apps that would help them succeed in their work.
Further, almost two-thirds (60 percent) would love to use their new skills to support their organization’s digital transformation process. In most cases, they believe they could help their IT teams with project implementation (45 percent) and understanding everyday business challenges (37 percent).
Helping their organization, as noble a cause as it may be, is not the only motivation for adopting new skills. Workers are also interested in advancing their own careers, with almost three in five (59 percent) thinking a new skillset would make them more successful. Also, over a quarter consider new digital skills as necessary to keeping their jobs (26 percent).
But wishes mean very little if they’re not willing to put in the hours and, as the report hints, very few actually do. The report claims only six percent of workers are actually learning software development.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, putting a massive strain on IT departments,” said Nick Ford, VP Product and Solutions Marketing at Mendix.
“This research shows that there is a large pool of untapped potential among UK employees that want to contribute to the digitization of their organizations and help alleviate the pressure on IT.”