The UK Needs An AI-Savvy Workforce, So Why Are Schools Spending Less Than An Hour A Week On Digital Skills?

The UK has made no secret of its ambition to become a global AI leader. From government-backed AI investment to plans for greater adoption across the public and private sectors, the message is that Britain wants to compete in an increasingly digital world. And, this isn’t really much of a surprise, because if the UK wants to remain competitive globally, it’s going to need to be able to excel in the AI space.

But, there’s a big problem that’s becoming an obstacle. That is, the workforce of the future is currently sitting in classrooms that spend less than an hour a week teaching digital skills.

According to new research from broadband provider Trooli, UK primary school children receive an average of just 46 minutes of digital skills education each week. If you feel like that figure feels surprisingly low, you’re not alone. This comes at at a time when businesses across almost every industry are calling for more digitally skilled workers and AI literacy is becoming increasingly important. So, why is this the case?

The findings come shortly after government discussions around introducing a social media ban for under-16s, creating an interesting contradiction. While policymakers are debating how much access children should have to digital platforms, many schools are struggling to provide the skills needed to navigate the digital world in the first place.

Growing Up Online Doesn’t Mean Being Digitally Skilled

Now, there’s often an assumption that today’s children are “digital natives” who instinctively understand technology because they have grown up surrounded by it. And sure, they certainly are a lot better at using technology than many older generations.

However, using technology and understanding technology are not the same thing.

As Trooli’s research suggests, many children may be comfortable using tablets, smartphones and gaming platforms, but lack the fundamental digital skills that employers increasingly expect.

Teachers surveyed highlighted concerns that students are being taught coding before they have mastered basic digital competencies such as typing, saving documents, conducting online research or identifying misinformation.

One teacher summed up the issue bluntly, saying they teach coding to children who “don’t even know how to type effectively or save a document.”

Another noted that while many pupils know how to play games online, they struggle with practical skills such as spotting fake news and carrying out effective online research. And this, needless to say, is something that should concern us all.

The Skills Schools Are Teaching Don’t Always Match The Skills Employers Need

Perhaps the most striking finding is the gap between what schools focus on and what the workplace actually demands.

According to the survey, 41% of teachers said coding receives the most attention in primary school technology lessons. However, coding is only required in a relatively small percentage of jobs.

By contrast, basic troubleshooting skills – understanding why technology isn’t working and how to fix common issues –  are needed across a huge number of roles. But despite this, only 7% of teachers said troubleshooting receives the greatest focus in the classroom.

It’s a reminder that digital literacy is about far more than learning to code.

As AI becomes more embedded in everyday work, employees will need to understand how to evaluate information, use digital tools effectively, solve technical problems and adapt to new technologies as they emerge. And those skills often matter just as much as writing software. Or, at the very least, those skills should come before coding.

Schools Need More Support

The findings also suggest that schools aren’t necessarily failing through lack of effort. Rather, there are three main barriers that teachers identified – that is, time, funding and training.

Only 30% believe their school has all the technology required to teach IT effectively. Even more concerning, just 15% say there is someone at their school with sufficient expertise to teach emerging technologies such as AI.

This raises an important question. If the UK wants to build an AI-ready workforce, who’s going to teach the next generation how these tools work?

Preparing For An AI Future

The UK’s AI ambitions will ultimately depend on people, not just technology, and that’s becoming clear quite quickly.

Governments can announce investment plans and businesses can deploy AI tools, but long-term success requires a workforce that understands how to use technology critically and confidently.

Of course, the conversation around children’s online safety is important. However, restricting access to digital platforms should not distract from a larger challenge – ensuring young people develop the skills they need to succeed in a digital economy.

After all, the future workforce won’t just be using AI. They’ll be building businesses with it, working alongside it and making decisions about how it shapes society.

If Britain is serious about becoming an AI powerhouse, 46 minutes a week of digital skills education may not be enough to get us there.