Civil servants sound alarm over digital skills shortfalls within their ranks
A new report claims that digital transformation of public services is being held back by legacy technology and deficits in skills and budgets.
Earlier this year, the UK government published a new digital and data strategy, snappily titled: Transforming for a digital future: 2022 - 2025 roadmap for digital and data.
The paper was bursting with ambition, setting out government intention to, "transform digital public services, deliver world-class digital technology and systems, and attract and retain the best in digital talent." The paper also set out an intent that digital transformation would enable the civil service to work smarter and faster, thereby driving value for money for taxpayers.
The results of the inaugural UK Civil Service Digital Skills Report published earlier this week by the UK Government's Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) and supported by Google Cloud, suggest that the Government has quite the mountain to climb if it is to achieve these ambitions. The survey, carried out by Global Government Forum, a publishing house for civil service officials, contained several findings of concern.
One such finding is that confidence in the ability of the public sector to utlitise technology to deliver better public services is low among those surveyed. Less than half of civil servants (42%) believe that their department has the tools, resources and skills necessary to utilise technology to transform the public services they deliver.
Further, the survey uncovered a widely held perception that digital transformation in public services is being held back by legacy technology, budget and skills. 63% working in digital transformation say "legacy technology," is a barrier (as opposed to 50% of civil servants overall who say the same thing.) 61% cite funding and half (50%) say inability to hire qualified talent is standing in the way of transformation.
Related to this lack of talent is a limited understanding of more advanced technologies. Over a third (37%) say they have few or no skills in how artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation could be deployed to enhance public service delivery. A similar proportion (39%) report that they have no knowledge of how applications can be deployed, integrated, managed or maintained on cloud infrastructure which is a bleak finding given that the Government has had a Cloud First policy for the procurement of new and existing services since 2013.
Appetite for change and digital upskilling
On a more positive note, 95% overall of those responding said that they had at least intermediate level skills in real-time remote collaboration technologies such as video conferencing and file sharing, and that figure increases further among senior officials and those working directly on digital transformation programmes. It is likely that for at least some of those, the pandemic gave them a digital collaboration crash course.
Also positive, is the fact that the report indicates a broad understanding that this situation cannot continue. 76% believe that technology is the key to unlocking public sector transformation, and 86% believe that it is their job to innovate and optimise public services. More than three quarters (78%) of those surveyed would like more digital skills training. An appetite for transformation clearly exists within the sector.
This appetite for change was noted in a foreword by Megan Lee, Chief Executive of the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), and head of the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) function for HM Government. In it, Lee acknowledges that a "concerted cross-government effort and focus," would be necessary to reach the targets set out.
The fieldwork for the report was conducted between April and June 2022, and some initiatives are already underway to try to boost digital skills levels, such as an Autumn of Digital Learning which featured webinars, masterclasses and development opportunities for senior leaders.
in an introduction to the report, Adam Stewart, Head of Public Sector UK & Ireland at Google Cloud said:
"Building foundations and capacity to enable the continuous process of innovation is key to creating the civil service of the future. We are excited to explore how a dedicated digital skills programme for all civil servants can produce fantastic outcomes both within government departments, and the services you deliver to citizens."
Alongside the report, Google Cloud has also launched its first ever industry consultation on digital skills across the civil service. The goal is to understand where the industry is today as the starting point to create the digital skills training and awareness needed.