Digital skills needed for half of construction jobs

Recent analysis from the Knowledge Academy has discovered that the need for digital skills in the construction industry is rising.

The Knowledge Academy  looked at recent data from Gov.uk, who analysed over eight million job adverts to discover the UK industries that most and least require job applicants to have specific technological skills. Specific digital skills refer to the knowledge and confidence to use technical tools and software programmes in a particular industry as well as possessing any other key/relevant digital credentials.

The analysis revealed that while jobs in information and communications required some of the highest (79%) requirements for applicants, followed by 69% of roles in manufacturing, construction is increasing its need for digital candidates, with some 49% of openings in the sector asking for skilled digital appplicants.

Additionally, The Knowledge Academy surveyed 562 UK employees (who plan to change their job this year) to find out the main barriers preventing them from developing their existing digital skills, as well as learning new digital skills, to significantly boost their career prospects.

From this, The Knowledge Academy found that a ‘lack of time (72%)’ is preventing a majority of employees from learning/developing valuable digital skills. The other stumbling blocks stated by respondents include: ‘Not knowing where to start’ (67%), ‘feeling too lazy/tired’ (64%), ‘fear of failing’ (59%), ‘believing learning resources/courses will be too expensive’ (51%), ‘believing relevant learning resources/courses will be too hard to find’ (45%) and ‘feeling too old to learn new skills/digital skills’ (23%).

Digital skills are becoming more embedded in construction as the industry adopts a more digital landscape. With the implementation of BIM and development of Modern Methods of Construction, whole life process and ‘big data’ analysis, cvreating a sea-change within the industry. Entrants to the industry are expecting digital techniques to be used and government policy is encouraging digital technoiques to imporve productivity within th sector.

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