Digital Devon Wayfinder
Skills
Technology only creates value when people know how to use it. Skills are the difference between owning technology and benefiting from it. This page covers the skills every business needs, and how to develop them affordably.
Why skills matter
The human engine of digital transformation
If Connectivity is the pipework, Systems & Hardware are the tools, Cybersecurity is the shield, Data is the fuel, Governance is the steering wheel, AI is the engine, and Trust is the licence to operate, then Skills are the capability that makes everything work.
Technology only creates value when people know how to use it. Skills are the difference between organisations that own technology and organisations that benefit from technology.
Across Devon, businesses consistently tell the Chamber: “We don’t know where to start with digital or AI.” “We don’t have the skills.” “Our staff are stretched.” “We worry about the pace of change.”
This zone helps every business understand what skills they need, how to develop them affordably, and how to build a confident, future-ready workforce. It is a particularly important zone because Skills is the bridge between technology capability (Waypoints 1-5) and trust, culture and human-centred design (Waypoints 6-10).
Without the right skills
- AI tools go unused or misused
- Data is inconsistent or poor quality
- Systems become cluttered or inefficient
- Cyber mistakes increase
- Productivity drops
- Digital projects fail
- Staff become resistant to change
- Businesses cannot grow or compete
With strong digital and AI skills
- Productivity increases
- Teams work smarter, not harder
- Cyber risk drops
- AI adoption accelerates
- Decision-making improves
- Customer experience strengthens
- Staff feel confident, valued and included
Skills are the highest-value investment any business can make.
What the Skills Zone covers
Skills readiness spans the whole organisation:
1. Digital foundations
Basic digital literacy for all staff:
- Email and collaboration tools
- File management
- Cloud basics
- Modern workplace behaviours
2. AI skills
- Prompting skills
- Understanding AI limitations
- Safe use of AI
- Identifying AI opportunities
- Using AI in workflows
3. Data skills
- Input quality
- Structured data use
- Reading dashboards
- Understanding metrics and KPIs
4. Cyber skills
- Recognising phishing
- Safe password practices
- Understanding access rules
- Secure remote working
5. Change and adoption skills
- Communication
- Team readiness
- Workflow redesign
- Confidence with new tools
Skills are not just technical. They are behavioural and cultural.
The six-step plan
Assess your current skills position
Ask:
- Do staff know how to use the tools we already pay for?
- Do teams know how to use AI safely and effectively?
- Do staff understand our data and cyber responsibilities?
- Do people feel confident or anxious about digital change?
- Do we have digital champions or internal experts?
- Are certain staff carrying all the digital load?
- Do we have training pathways for new starters?
You cannot fix what you cannot see, so start with a simple assessment.
Map what skills your business needs
See the sector and size guides below.
Build a skills development plan
Focus on:
- AI literacy for all
- Cyber awareness
- Cloud and collaboration tools
- Data basics for everyone
- Automation and workflow skills
- Leadership confidence in digital strategy
Start with "minimum viable skills" - small, practical, repeatable steps.
Embed learning into everyday work
Skills grow when:
- Training is short and frequent
- Learning is built into workflows
- Digital champions support teams
- Leaders model good digital behaviours
- Successes are celebrated
- Mistakes are treated as learning opportunities
Skills become part of your culture, not a one-off event.
Build skills resilience
A future-ready organisation has:
- Regular skills updates
- Cross-training to avoid single points of failure
- Clear digital onboarding for all new staff
- Succession planning for key digital roles
- Time allocated for learning
- A shared understanding of digital priorities
People are your most adaptable - and most vulnerable - asset. Investing in them builds long-term resilience.
Review annually
Review training participation, skills confidence, staff feedback, AI adoption levels, cyber incident reports, productivity gains, and skills gaps for the next year. This creates a continuous cycle of capability building.
Recommended digital and AI skills by sector
Retail & hospitality
POS competency, customer service AI, stock systems, basic cyber awareness.
Professional services
AI drafting, secure document handling, data analysis, advanced Microsoft 365 skills.
Creative & digital
Generative AI tools, asset management, automation workflows.
Manufacturing & engineering
IoT and sensor literacy, data interpretation, basic automation skills.
Construction
Mobile app skills, digital project tools, workflow capture.
Transport & logistics
Tracking systems, digital routing tools, operations dashboards.
Health & care
Secure data handling, AI triage tools, compliance training.
Education
Learning technology, AI-supported teaching, digital safeguarding.
Agriculture & food
Sensor tools, compliance reporting, digital management platforms.
Environment & clean tech
Data interpretation, modelling tools, digital reporting.
Tourism & events
Ticketing systems, customer interaction AI, strong digital marketing.
Public services & charities
Case systems, responsible AI, accessible communication skills.
Property & facilities
Digital inspection tools, sensor dashboards, automated reporting.
Tech & startups
AI tooling, product analytics, automation, data-driven innovation.
Recommended skills by business size
Sole traders / consultants
AI productivity skills, digital marketing, cyber basics.
Micro businesses (1-10)
Collaboration tools, cloud basics, safe AI use.
Small SMEs (10-50)
Data literacy, workflow automation, AI in daily work.
Medium SMEs (51-100)
Advanced adoption skills, cross-team training, digital champions.
Growing organisations (100-150)
Role-based training plans, AI literacy for all, leadership digital skills.
Large employers (150+)
Skills frameworks, internal training academies, advanced AI skills, governance capability.
Cost guidance
How much should I pay?
Reflects average UK business pricing in 2025-2026.
- Basic digital skills courses: £50-£200 per employee
- AI literacy training: £30-£150 per employee
- Cyber awareness: £2-£5 per user per month
- Microsoft 365 training: £50-£300 per programme
- Workflow automation training: £200-£1,000
- Coaching or workshops: £500-£3,000
- Leadership digital transformation sessions: £1,000-£10,000
How long it takes
Planning your changes
- Basic skills uplift: 2-6 weeks
- AI literacy for all staff: 1-4 weeks
- Cyber training rollout: 1-2 weeks
- Long-term skills programme: 6-12 months
- Full cultural shift: continuous
The benefits
What this is worth
If you need to make the business case to your board, this is what you should anticipate based on the Devon market in 2025-2026.
Direct ROI
- 20-40% increase in productivity
- Reduced errors and rework
- Faster adoption of AI
- Increased staff utilisation
- Lower support overheads
Indirect ROI
- Higher morale and retention
- Better customer experience
- More confident decision-making
- Stronger innovation culture
Risk reduction
- Fewer cyber incidents
- Fewer operational mistakes
- Reduced dependency on key individuals
- Better continuity planning
Questions to ask your provider
- Do you offer hands-on training or just videos?
- Is training tailored to our sector?
- How do you measure skill uplift?
- Do you offer AI-specific skills development?
- Can you train leaders and frontline staff?
- Do you help embed learning into everyday work?
- Do you provide ongoing support?
What good looks like
The Skills Wayfinder outcome
By the end of this zone, you will:
- Understand your current digital and AI capability
- Know the essential skills every employee needs
- Identify team-specific and role-specific gaps
- Understand how to upskill affordably and sustainably
- Be able to select the right training partners
- Leave with enough information to create a practical, affordable Skills Action Plan
