New study helps to understand the role that cloud computing can play in reaching the UK’s digital ambitions in order to enable the united kingdom to compete on the particular global stage.
Commissioned by Amazon Web Services (AWS), the Public First report shows that electronic technology can grow the economy simply by over £413 billion by 2030. That is the equivalent of around 19% of the particular entire UK economy – or bigger than the entire regional economy of the south-east associated with England, and more than twice the particular annual output of the UK’s manufacturing sector (£183 billion).
‘… citizens and businesses see digital technology as one of the biggest areas associated with growth for the country after health …’
The research also revealed that both citizens plus businesses see digital technology as one of the greatest areas of growth for the nation after wellness, with cloud computing playing an integral part.
Yet, the particular research also shows many organisations are still not equipped with the right tools, skills, and electronic infrastructure to take full advantage of the digital opportunity.
The UK will need to focus on increasing electronic adoption, strengthening digital abilities, and continuing to invest in digital infrastructure in order to unlock its full electronic potential.
Growing adoption of digital technologies
The particular UK is already making progress when it comes to digital technology. According to the government’s UK Electronic Strategy, the country has more unicorns, and more start-up and scale-up investment, than France and Germany combined, plus it is recognised as a world leader within emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), advanced semiconductor design, and quantum computing. In recent years, the particular tech sector, has grown by around 7% a year – faster than the UK economic climate as the whole – and it is now estimated in order to support around three million jobs.
‘… the tech sector, has grown by close to 7% a year – faster than the UK economy as a whole …’
This progress will be reflected in Public First’s report, which showed that over half of UK organisations (53%) agree that electronic technology has become increasingly important over the particular last five years. This particular increases when talking to large companies with over 250 employees – associated with which 89% believe that will technology is usually more essential now compared to it was five years ago. However , Public First’s report showed many UNITED KINGDOM businesses that are yet in order to capitalise upon digital systems.
Polling conducted simply by Public First found that:
- 42% of businesses don’t use digital tools to track orders or inventory, 31% don’t yet advertise online, and 38% are not using social media.
- Over a third (40%) of the least digitally intensive companies (businesses using a high level associated with digital technologies, such as employees’ business internet use, number of ICT specialists, or even online customer interactions) said that they did not know what difference greater use of electronic technology would make to their operations.
- Almost half (48%) of business leaders had not really heard of impair computing or failed to know what the term “cloud computing” meant.
With business costs rising, it is definitely vital that will financial support is complemented with the particular right guidance and advice. Growth hubs and peer networks should continue to be a key component of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs).
Strengthening digital skills
UK Government estimates indicate that there were 31. 5% more individuals working within the electronic sector in 2020 compared with 2011. Turnover plus employment development in the digital sector is currently growing at more than double the rate associated with the economic climate as the whole, requiring a significant expansion of the UK’s current digital workforce.
With 80% of the 2030 workforce already within work today, reskilling the existing workforce is likely to be important with regard to the UK in order to realise the digital ambitions. Increasing the particular availability associated with advanced electronic skills in the UK will allow businesses to take higher advantage of digital technology and the benefits of fog up computing. This can be achieved by boosting the number associated with specialists, because well since improving the particular digital abilities from the average worker.
‘… reskilling the present workforce is likely to be important for the united kingdom to realise its digital ambitions… ‘
Digital and fog up skills will be key to ensuring the UNITED KINGDOM can continue to contend on a global stage. AWS has committed to an investment to provide free cloud computing skills training regarding 29 million people simply by 2025 – reaching people from all walks of life and all levels of technical knowledge, in a lot more than 200 countries including the UK. It offers launched a number associated with learning plus skills programmes in the united kingdom which includes preparing learners from unemployed and underemployed populations who have little technology experience, for careers in the cloud, in no cost and an education programme designed to inspire 12-14 year old students, especially girls, to consider a future career in STEM.
Continuing in order to invest in digital infrastructure
Electronic infrastructure, such as high-speed connectivity plus cloud processing, continue to be fundamental to supporting wider electronic transformation in the UK.
Public First polling revealed:
- 80% of businesses using cloud agreed that will cloud computing has made it easier for their company to compete with larger enterprises, and 67% agreed that the particular costs of starting the business had reduced substantially because associated with cloud processing.
- Cloud computing also offers secure and reliable digital facilities. 92% of cloud users feel confident that their data can be secure in the cloud. A further 45% associated with respondents said they might find it difficult to store data securely without fog up services.
- UNITED KINGDOM businesses plus consumers prioritise faster or even more dependable internet more than building new roads and adding extra bus plus rail routes.
For the UK in order to benefit from increased growth and productivity, there should be a greater focus on growing awareness and support available to businesses in order to adopt digital tools; the creation of a more diverse talent pool to address the particular digital abilities shortage; and continuing expense within the system that will underpin innovation plus the next generation of electronic technologies. Collectively, this will unlock the many opportunities afforded by this digital decade.
Read more about AWS programmes
You might also be interested in: UK Digital Strategy 2022
