Digital is changing our lives, and the COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly increased the rate of this change. Digital is now an essential part of our everyday lives and being able to access online services has become an important skill.
Ceredigion County Council want to support people to gain digital confidence to access the internet and enjoy the many benefits offered in a digital world. We want everybody to develop digital skills at the earliest possible opportunity so that they are confident in exploiting the tools and technologies that surround them.
Digital Skills At Home
Ceredigion County Council Adult Community Education (ACL) is part of the Learning Services of Ceredigion County Council. Dysgu Bro aim to provide learning opportunities for the people of Ceredigion in their community which will encourage them to develop new interests, work towards gaining a qualification or improve their skills for the workplace.
Free beginner classes are available as well as the loaning of equipment for those enrolled on courses.
Digital Communities Wales aims to reduce digital exclusion in Wales, where everyone has the skills, access and motivation to be a confident user of digital technology.
Free courses to make you feel more confident online and to develop your digital skills. From learning how to use a computer to activities and games to help children learn new skills.
Free courses to make you feel more confident online and to develop your digital skills. From getting a job to launching a new business. There are a range of courses and resources to help get you started.
Free digital and numeracy courses to build your skills to support everyday life and employment.
Barclays have created content to help customers master online banking, socialising and how to effectively access online tv and social media. They also provide advice upon social media misuse, passwords and online gaming.
Digital Skills For Business
Digital technology has revolutionised the way we work – but many smaller businesses that lack digital skills are being left behind. In the modern workplace, digital skills are highly valued; in the future, digital skills will be vital.
Here are some of the reasons to embrace digital skills in the workplace:
With the right training, employees can use digital technology to become more productive at work. For example, digital documents can be created, stored and accessed more efficiently than printed versions, but only if employees know how to locate them, use them and share them confidently. If they struggle with this, it has a knock-on-effect on how employee time is used in the workplace – with consequences for business productivity.
According to Microsoft, in the next two decades, 90% of jobs will require some form of digital skills, and there will be a higher demand for technical skills to give businesses a competitive edge within their market. By investing in the right training for your employees, they are more likely to outperform their peers at rival organisations – helping your business stay ahead of the competition.
Technological advances will continue to provide new ways of working. Businesses that embrace those changes will reap the benefits of a highly satisfied workforce, keen to collaborate, communicate or create using new tools that allow them to do their jobs more efficiently. This could include better access to remote working, relevant software and cloud-based applications or widening the availability of online training.
Most businesses now recognise the need for a strong online presence to help increase revenue. Traditional forms of sales and marketing are becoming outdated as consumers turn towards digital channels to make that final purchase. Most buyers now consume online content like blog articles or short videos to finalise their purchasing decisions. If businesses hope to increase revenue they need to be where their customers are, using a range of digital skills to engage, persuade and drive demand through their preferred online channels.
Consumers now spend more time on digital channels and there is high demand for an improved online experience. Businesses need to respond to changing expectations, engaging with their customers and building relationships through a diverse range of channels - these could include email, social media, mobile apps and more. It’s vital that employees have the right skills and ‘netiquette’ to ensure the online customer experience is a positive one.
Ceredigion County Council recognises the importance of digital skills in supporting the Counties businesses and remaining competitive in a global market to ensure economic growth, resilience and well-being. We wish to support businesses to accelerate the adoption of digital in order to work smarter and drive innovation, making sure local businesses are in the best position to take full advantage of the opportunities ahead.
There are a number of resources and supports to assist your business and your employees in embracing digital technology in order to gain the benefits listed above.
Whether you’re looking to move online, make a success of the new ‘business as usual’ or to maintain brand presence locally for when things get back to normal, Superfast Business Wales can support put digital at the heart of your business and help you maximise sales through their free programs and courses.
BT have developed the Digital Health Checker to support businesses in evaluating how well they are using IT and tech to achieve their objectives. It also provides support upon how how businesses should adapt and evolve to reach its full potential.
Go Connect are a Youth and Community organisation that specialise in Enterprise and Employability training. They believe in generating a level playing field to give everyone access to unique and exciting opportunities to identify their aspirations and reach their full potential.
Free courses to make you feel more confident online and to develop your digital skills to improve your business. There are a range of courses and resources to support in making your business a success.
Digital Boost helps charities and small businesses get the essential skills they need. Digital Boost provide free mentoring, workshops, courses, and content to help you understand digital better.
Business Wales service which provides a gateway for you to check what skills and training programmes are available in our area.
Free digital and numeracy courses to build your skills to support everyday life and employment.
Training courses designed to build your confidence and help you business thrive. They provide tools to make your business succeed, improve your interview skills and to support career development through the use of digital skills.