Digital Skills Should Not Be a Privilege: Why Young People Cannot Be Left Behind in the New Digital World

What’s undisputed is technology is changing the world and at that faster than many young people are being prepared for it. Digital skills should no longer be classified as “extra” skills rather core essential tools for participation in this digital society. The problem is that not every young person is being given the same chance to develop them.

​

Technology at first, as it was emerging, was hopeful. For many people, it promised a mirage of new endeavours new jobs, flexible work, creativity, entrepreneurship, and even access to global opportunities. The OECD found that digital transformation contributed to job creation across OECD countries, with highly digital intensive sectors accounting for a significant share of net job gains between 2006 and 2016.  These statistics all pointed to a technological future where human capital would be integrated into the tech driven economy. However we are now at a point where empty promises are being witnessed.

​

And the issue is particularly acute for those from low income backgrounds. Digital exclusion is about more than being able to use a laptop. It is about whether a young person has the confidence and skills to take part in a world where education, work, and opportunity are increasingly online. Without that support, technology becomes another barrier instead of a route forward. In the UK, this issue is already visible. The Government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan, published in February 2025, recognises that digital exclusion remains a national challenge and sets out early steps to improve access, skills and support. Lloyds’ 2025 Consumer Digital Index also describes digital and financial capability as a major part of everyday life, with AI now increasingly shaping how people manage money and interact with services. 

​

The risk of losing a generation to tech

We often talk about young people as “digital natives”, as if growing up with phones automatically means they are prepared for the digital economy. But being able to use social media is not the same as being digitally skilled.