At Cosmic, we’ve always been committed to digital inclusion and workforce upskilling, which is why we’re proud to be part of FutureDotNow’s mission to close the essential digital skills gap.
Our CEO, Julie Hawker, is leading this work in the South West region, engaging with businesses, local authorities, and community organisations to embed digital skills into long-term strategies. Over the past year, this work has gained incredible momentum, with strong government backing and a national action plan now in place.
A National Step Forward: The Government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan
The UK Government has recently published its Digital Inclusion Action Plan, a landmark strategy that recognises the need for essential digital skills for all—from school leavers to working adults and beyond. FutureDotNow has played a key role in shaping this, ensuring that digital upskilling is seen as an economic and social priority.
Key takeaways from the plan include:
- A new national definition of digital inclusion – ensuring everyone has access, skills, and confidence to participate in a digital society.
- Essential Digital Skills (EDS) as the baseline – formally recognised as the national standard for workplace digital skills.
- A workforce-first approach – focusing on equipping businesses and employees with the skills needed for a digital economy.
- Stronger government-business collaboration – ensuring that organisations of all sizes can contribute to building a future-ready workforce.
Check out our full article about the digital inclusion action plan.
Upcoming: The Workforce Digital Skills Summit 2025
A key milestone for this movement is the FutureDotNow Workforce Digital Skills Summit, happening on 30 April 2025 at The Guildhall, London. This event will bring together business leaders, policymakers, and digital skills champions to explore the economic and social impact of digital capability in the workplace. Discussions will include:
- The AI revolution & workforce skills – what businesses need to know.
- Sector and regional approaches to digital upskilling.
- Mapping routes to engage 20 million people still missing essential digital skills.
If you want to be part of the conversation, you can register your interest here: 🔗 FutureDotNow Workforce Digital Skills Summit
What’s Next for the South West?
Since our FutureDotNow roundtable discussions in October 2023, Cosmic has been working closely with businesses, councils, and industry leaders to ensure digital skills remain a priority in the region. Our colleague Emma Moore has also been involved in FutureDotNow’s development of online resources and social impact measurement tools, helping to create a practical toolkit for organisations looking to enhance their workforce’s digital capabilities.
We are now looking to hold further in-person meetings in the South West following the Summit in April 2025. If your organisation is interested in joining these discussions, please get in touch. Together, we can bridge the digital skills gap and future-proof our workforce.
How You Can Get Involved:
1️⃣ Join the FutureDotNow movement – sign the Workforce Digital Skills Charter: 🔗 Learn more
2️⃣ Attend the Workforce Digital Skills Summit – register your interest 🔗 here
3️⃣ Talk to us! If you’re a business in the South West, let’s explore how we can help you embed digital skills into your workforce strategy.