Wrap-up: Closing Australia’s Digital Skills Gap - Insights from AIM’s Roundtable

If you missed AIM’s recent roundtable webinar, Closing Australia’s Digital Skills Gap: Digital Confidence in Every Role, here is a clear wrap-up of the key ideas from the session. 

You can also watch the full recording here. 

Closing Australia’s digital skills gap 

Digital capability is no longer optional. Digital tools shape how people work, communicate and get tasks done, yet many professionals still feel unsure about how to use them well. At AIM’s recent roundtable webinar, Closing Australia’s Digital Skills Gap: Digital Confidence in Every Role, leaders from Cochlear and AIM explored the barriers staff face, the skills in highest demand and how organisations can help their teams build capability with AI and digital tools.

The discussion highlighted the urgency and the opportunity ahead. 

How the capability gap is showing up 

AIM CEO Martin Mercer opened the session with an observation many leaders recognise. New digital tools are landing fast, often faster than teams can absorb them. He spoke about the pressure staff feel when organisations expect results before giving them time to learn the basics.

As Martin put it, “organisations are making big investments in AI and providing digital tools to their employees in the hope of getting a lift in productivity,” yet many are “reaping limited returns from this investment.”

The audience poll reflected this pressure. Sixty-one per cent selected AI usage and adoption as the biggest skills gap in their organisation. Fourteen per cent pointed to digital collaboration and communication and eight per cent selected data and analytics skills. These results show that employees struggle less with technical theory and more with the everyday tools already in their workflow. 

How AIM approached the digital capability gap 

AIM’s Chief Technology and Product Officer, Steven Smith explained that most professionals are not seeking deep technical training. They want to feel comfortable with the tools already in front of them. AIM focuses on helping people “look at the essential elements that are going to make a difference for them” and practise in a safe setting.

He outlined AIM’s Digital Skills Portfolio, which includes AI fundamentals, Excel, Power BI, cybersecurity and UX. His message was clear. Skills need to be practical so people can use them the very next day. 

Awareness and confidence are missing 

Steven then joined the broader panel, which included Carolyn Taylor, Vice President of Global Talent Development at Cochlear and AIM’s Head of Digital Skills, Lu Ngo, with moderation from Pepe Newton.

The group agreed that access to tools is not the problem. Uncertainty is a real barrier. “A lot of companies do not know what they do not know,” Lu said. Even experienced teams can feel saturated by new features and unsure where to begin.

She added that foundational understanding “is actually a skill gap that we currently have.” Without those fundamentals, even simple tasks can feel risky.

Carolyn agreed. “We don’t have any shortage of AI tools available to us,” she said, but capability is uneven, leaving people saturated before they feel empowered.

Steven pointed out that clarity helps people feel confident with new tools. Teams need to understand what is safe and expected. They rely on “that governance layer and also that awareness of how they impact risk profiles.”

This second audience poll reflected this challenge. Forty-six per cent said the biggest barrier to adopting digital tools is not knowing which tools are relevant. Time pressures and limited budgets also played a role, but uncertainty stood out as the main barrier.

Without foundational knowledge or clear guidance, staff hesitate, avoid using tools or fall back on manual processes. 

Why organisations cannot afford to fall behind 

The panel spoke openly about the risks of delaying capability building.

Lu captured it simply: “If we do not invest in uplifting teams now, we will fall behind.”  

Steven Smith pointed to the operational and security risks that come with rapid AI adoption. He explained that without the right guidance and controls, “there are scenarios that have been written about where there’s been unintended outcomes. The [AI] agents have deleted databases and things like this and then apologised for it, which doesn’t really help the business.”

Carolyn reinforced the talent risk. High-performing candidates now expect modern, digital-ready workplaces. As she explained, “when you're attracting people who are really the best in their field in doing that work and want to work for the best organisation in the industry, then you absolutely have to also be best of breed in terms of the adoption of some of these new technologies. Because that sort of talent is going to be looking for that type of environment. 

Leaders must model digital readiness 

Leadership was another strong theme. Carolyn said leaders must show the behaviours they expect from others. “We can’t be asking our employees… to adopt AI and be more upskilled in tech without… modelling it at the leadership level.”

Lu echoed this, noting her experience managing a large remote team and the importance of speaking the same digital language.

Steven reinforced the need for psychological safety. Teams need the room to learn and try new tools. He spoke about the importance of “the confidence and culture piece” that allows people to test, adapt and grow. 

Technical skills are not enough 

The panel agreed that digital skills alone are not enough. The human side still matters. Critical thinking, communication and the ability to work with others sit at the centre of effective digital adoption.

Steven brought this to life when he spoke about the mindset teams need as AI becomes part of everyday work. He described one of the biggest gaps as “that confidence in the culture,” the comfort to try new tools, adapt to change and learn through experimentation.

Lu added a practical lens, pointing out that teams cannot get value from AI without the basics in place. Awareness, foundational knowledge and simple judgment skills make a noticeable difference in how people prompt, assess outputs and decide what is useful.

Human skills shape how well digital tools work in practice. When teams build both, they adapt faster and with more confidence. 

What people want from digital skills training 

The final poll asked participants what outcomes mattered most when it comes to digital training. Forty-nine per cent selected saving time on repetitive tasks as the most valuable outcome, which reflects the pressure teams feel in their day-to-day work.

The other responses pointed to similar needs. People want to stay competitive, make quicker decisions and feel more confident navigating new tools. It reflects a workforce that is stretched, curious and trying to keep pace with constant change. They do not want complex theory. They want practical skills that remove friction and help them get through their work with less effort and more clarity. 

Where to start when everything feels overwhelming 

The panel wrapped up by speaking to a feeling many teams share: the sense of not knowing where to begin. With new tools arriving constantly, the first step can feel like the hardest.

Lu encouraged organisations to lower the pressure and choose one small, useful action that helps people feel progress straight away. She suggested starting with “something practical that you can take with you the next day when you go to work.”

Steven then built on this by focusing on the environment people work in. Even simple steps fall flat if individuals feel judged or exposed when trying something new. He described an environment where people can “try things, be open to adopt and try… and have an environment that encourages that,” supported by the right elements of rigour so outcomes stay controlled.

Carolyn closed the loop by emphasising that the scale of change can overwhelm even the most capable teams. Her suggestion echoed the others: keep the first step small and supportive. As she put it, teams engage more easily when organisations “start small… make it more consumable or manageable for people to start to engage with.”

Across the discussion, the message was clear. People make more progress when learning feels doable, safe and immediately useful. 

AIM’s role in building digital confidence 

AIM’s Digital Skills Portfolio was created to support these needs. As Steven explained, AIM delivers short courses that are “practical, non-technical and designed so learners can apply skills the next day.”

Explore the portfolio at aim.com.au/digital-skills.