Today, the problem most companies face in executing their digital transformation is not access to technologies but a shortage of workers with digital and data science skills. The demand is growing faster than the supply. In other words, recruitment can only get your company so far. To get the rest of the way, companies need to commit to training and upskilling, giving employees opportunities to learn about technologies — and room to experiment (and fail) with them.
Using “Digital Academies” to Close the Skills Gap
Lessons from internal upskilling efforts at DuPont, Gestamp, and Deloitte.
January 17, 2024
HBR Staff/Andriy Onufriyenko/doomu/Getty Images
Summary.
“Digital academies” are among the most successful approaches to closing the digital skills gap. These initiatives are specific to the company’s culture and narrative, are highly experiential and considerate of organizational team dynamics, and reach across the enterprise. Using DuPont’s digital academy as a model, companies should design their own internal upskilling programs to serve broad employee segments, include experiential elements, encourage continuous engagement, and prioritize flexibility.