Digital skills
To take part fully in today's society, everyone needs the skills to use the internet. Getting people online is the key aim of Martha Lane Fox, the Government's Digital Champion. Manifesto for a Networked Nation sets out the challenge to government, industry and charities of getting the 8 million people who are digitally excluded online.
BIS fully supports this work, and has funded UK Online centres to help people learn the basics to get online. Online Basics is a short, free course which covers how to use a keyboard and mouse and will help you search and explore the internet, keep in touch with email, stay safe online and, how to get the best out of government services online. It also has a range of easy courses and useful resources from the likes of the BBC and Digital Unite to help you develop your skills. Online Basics can be done at home with the help of friend or family in a UK Online Centre, or in any learning provider. Online Basics is also a fundable qualification on the Qualifications and Credit Framework at entry level three.
Over 313,000 people have completed Online Basics since 2010. The vast majority found it useful and easy to use (97 per cent), whilst many people used it to progress to further learning (60 per cent).
There are various campaigns each year to help specific groups get online, such as Spring Online for older learners and Get Online Week the largest digital inclusion event, with over 3000 events across the country.
