The digital technology revolution has put data at the core of many things, from personal privacy to public health, wealth creation to environmental protection. This is particularly important for employers, whether large or small businesses, public sector organisations, or charities, because using data to create or improve products and services is key to unlocking economic growth and job creation.

The importance of data skills

The importance of data skills is being recognised in a large number, and diverse range, of job roles.

For example, care workers are likely to be required to provide more patient-centred care using telemedicine to connect with doctors and coordinate care activities, and drivers, threatened by the increasing prevalence of autonomous vehicles, may be required to develop new skills so that they can carry out tasks using data management to co-ordinate and supervise a convoy of autonomous vehicles.

The Centre for Cities Outlook 2018 predicts that 17.5% of the City of Edinburgh’s workforce are currently in occupations that are likely to shrink due to automation.

Whilst there is a lot of uncertainty about the shape of the future jobs market, we can be more certain that jobs that rely on more routine, simple tasks can more easily be automated, whereas creative and complex tasks will be more resistant to replacement.

How are occupations changing?

• 1/10 people are currently in occupations which will grow

• 1/5 people are in occupations which will shrink

• 7/10 of us are in job in which there is uncertainty

Growth Occupations

• Public sector, Education

• Health Care, Food prep/hospitality

• Creative, digital, design

• Engineering, Architecture

• Green Jobs

Shrinking occupations

• Manufacturing

• Administration/Secretarial

• Sales (some)

• Financial Specialists

The Data Skills for Work programme aims to equip local people, working across all sectors, with data skills, training them for changing roles and preparing them for the jobs of the future.

Source: NESTA, The Future of Skills: Employment in 2030 (2017)