Why this evidence matters for people, places and the UK workforce
On 22 April, Cosmic was proud to share nationally significant evidence at the FutureDotNow 2026 Workforce Digital Skills Summit, held at the historic Guildhall in London.
The summit brought together policymakers, employers, delivery partners and sector leaders to explore how digital skills and AI are shaping a future‑fit workforce. For Cosmic, it was an important moment to contribute learning that reinforces something we have long understood through practice:
Digital skills are not optional. They are foundational to employability.
At the event, Julie Hawker MBE, Chief Executive of Cosmic, shared findings from a South West pilot led by FutureDotNow, delivered in partnership with FutureDotNow, Accenture and City & Guilds, and designed to test a simple but critical question:
What happens when Essential Digital Skills are embedded as core infrastructure within employability support, rather than treated as an optional add‑on?
The results really matter
Participants involved in the pilot were twice as likely to move into employment within four months compared to those undertaking standard employability provision.
This is not a marginal improvement.
It is clear evidence that when people are supported to build practical digital capability, to search and apply for work, communicate effectively, manage information and use digital tools with confidence, their chances of moving into work increase significantly.
Built on long‑standing experience and proven delivery
Drawing on over 30 years’ experience in digital inclusion, and more than a decade delivering employability support, Cosmic developed and delivered a refreshed version of the digital curriculum already embedded within Restart in the South West.
This work built on an established and successful digital curriculum that Cosmic has been developing and delivering for many years, enhancing it to align more explicitly with Essential Digital Skills, including the introduction of five new AI‑related tasks.
While FutureDotNow led the overall pilot, Cosmic led on all curriculum enhancement and training delivery, ensuring the approach was practical, evidence‑based and directly aligned to employment outcomes.
The focus was not just on technical skills, but on confidence, relevance and real‑world application, enabling participants to use digital skills meaningfully as part of their journey towards work.
Why this matters nationally
The implications of this work extend far beyond one pilot or one region.
If Essential Digital Skills were embedded consistently across employability provision:
- Job outcomes could improve significantly
- Employers would gain access to a more digitally confident workforce
- Public investment would deliver stronger returns
- Communities would benefit from increased participation in an increasingly digital economy
Beyond job outcomes, participants may begin to realise wider social value gains, as outlined in the FutureDotNow’s Ripple Effect report, where strengthened digital capability supports individuals not only to move into work, but to participate more confidently in everyday digital life, from managing finances and accessing services, to communicating, learning and progressing in work.
These outcomes contribute to longer‑term economic participation, improved wellbeing and greater resilience, reinforcing the role of digital skills as a key enabler of inclusive growth.
This is not about technology for technology’s sake.
It is about equity, economic participation and workforce readiness.
Tools for scale and replication
An important output from the pilot has been a report produced by FutureDotNow, accompanied by the development of a practical implementation toolkit, co‑created by Cosmic and Accenture.
The toolkit captures learning from the pilot and will include:
- Practical guidance on embedding Essential Digital Skills within employability provision
- Best‑practice insights from delivery and evaluation
- Curriculum‑aligned tools and assets developed through the pilot
The toolkit is expected to be available in summer 2026 and will support other regions, providers and commissioners to understand what works, why it works, and how it can be adapted locally.
Partnership that enables impact
Long‑term partnership has been central to the success of this work. Cosmic would like to thank Seetec, as the South West’s Restart prime delivery contractor, for their continued support and collaboration. Cosmic has worked alongside Seetec on the delivery of Restart across the South West for more than five years, and this shared commitment to quality, innovation and participant outcomes has been vital in turning evidence‑led ideas into real‑world impact for people and employers.
Cosmic would like to thank FutureDotNow for their continued collaboration, leadership and commitment to to workforce digital skills. The pilot was further strengthened through collaboration with Accenture, who played a key role in employer engagement and the development of practical tools and assets, and City & Guilds, supported by Navigatr, who joined the pilot to develop accredited Essential Digital Skills badges to formally recognise competence against the Essential Digital Skills Framework.
We also extend our thanks to Mark Cotton FRSA, the independent evaluator, whose challenge and rigour ensured the evidence produced was robust, credible and focused on what genuinely drives employment outcomes.
Recognising the Cosmic team
Special thanks go to all Cosmic colleagues involved in the pilot, including:
- Chloe Penfold, Restart Delivery Manager, for overseeing curriculum delivery and badge issuance,
- all the digital skills trainers at Cosmic delivering Restart, whose expertise ensured high‑quality curriculum delivery and participant engagement.
- Vanessa Larcombe, Contracts Manager, for leading quality assurance and contract management.
- Emma Moore, Head of Business Development, for leading toolkit development and knowledge capture
- Julie Hawker, Chief Executive, for her leadership and commitment to evidence‑led innovation, helping to shape approaches that demonstrably improve digital skills and employability outcomes.
What happens next
Cosmic and FutureDotNow are now focused on sharing the learning from this pilot, funded by DSIT, with other regions, employability providers and commissioners across the UK.
The evidence strengthens the case for Essential Digital Skills to be treated as core employability infrastructure, building on what already works and scaling proven approaches.
The evidence is clear.
The opportunity is national.
And the potential impact is transformative.
If we are serious about building a future‑fit workforce, Essential Digital Skills must be built in – everywhere.
Please let us know if you would like to receive a copy of the report and toolkit when it is ready to be shared.