Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2017 - 42

ability to meet complex demands, by
drawing on and mobilizing psychosocial
resources (including skills and attitudes)
in a particular context.
Searching for a digital competence
framework reveals significant public
sector economic and education policy
works, but little of that has been
translated for industry. Two notable
models have been promulgated:
DIGCOMP: A Framework for Developing
and Understanding Digital Competence

Talent and learning
leaders must articulate
and reinforce the vision
for transformation.
in Europe and the World Economic
Forum's New Vision for Education:
Unlocking the Potential of Technology.
Based on these reference frameworks
and the ongoing research and input of
industry leaders, a cluster of adaptive
skills and abilities emerge that begin to
inform digital competence for industry.
The industry framework centers on
seven critical abilities:

1 - Comprehend and Engage
the Digital Environment

2 - Effectively Create and
Consume Digital Information
3 - Communicate Effectively
4 - Collaborate with
Diverse Stakeholders
5 - Innovate Rapidly/Agile
6 - Think Critically/Solve Problems
7 - Maintain Cybersecurity
This digital competence framework
extends Levy and Murnane's three
elements to include an overarching need
to comprehend the digital environment,
and to interact with data and people
to effectively innovate and solve

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problems. Risk management requires
that employees and leaders understand
cybersecurity and take an active role in
protection-rather than simply relying
on IT to prevent damage.

CLOSING THE DIGITAL COMPETENCE GAP
At the World Economic Forum in Davos,
Switzerland, earlier this year a CEO panel
all agreed that technological change
brought by AI would create more jobs
than it would eliminate. Fortune quoted
Dow CEO Andrew Liveris as saying,
"There will be more employment, just
different." But they acknowledged
two serious societal challenges: first,
educating and training workers to take
advantage of the change; and second,
assuring the benefits of productivity
gains are widely shared.
Talent and learning leaders have
exciting and challenging years ahead,
as we work to retool our functions
and roles within organizations. Taking
the lead to engage senior leaders as
architects and advocates is no small
challenge. As Rami Rahim, CEO, Juniper
Networks put it, "True innovation
requires an understanding of the value
that technology brings and enables.
The C-Suite doesn't need to code, but
leading a company strategy for growth
requires a strong relationship between
those who set the strategy and those
who execute."
Building
digital
competence
requirements across the employee
talent life cycle is the most fundamental
strategic challenge ahead. Talent
and learning leaders must articulate
and constantly reinforce the vision
for
transformation.
Inertia
in
organizations and cultures will slow
progress and occasionally make the
quest seem Quixotic, but the external
realities of digital transformation will
ultimately prevail.
Other critical developments needed
include enhancing personalized and
adaptive learning and expanding agile
innovation to ensure all employees
are engaged and empowered to push
the organization forward. Finally,
as
organizations
further
define
digital competence needs, working
partnerships
with
educational

CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF A
STRONG DIGITAL TALENT STRATEGY
* Senior leaders act as
architects and advocates
* Digital competence is being
built into the entire talent lifecycle
* Agile innovation is promoted
and protected
* Talent functions take the leadership
role for digital talent transformation
* Educational institutions
are engaged as critical partners
* Learning is becoming personalized

institutions, from early childhood to
university level, are needed to shift
education towards this new reality.
Most significantly, talent and learning
functions must take a lead role as
'futurists' to drive change. Bonnie
Houston, chief administrative officer
for NOV, explained the self-examination
and willingness to change required to
take on the challenge of transformation:
"The Talent and HR function needs
to 'step out on the balcony' and look
at all of our systems, processes and
assumptions-formal and informal.
Where are we creating inefficiencies or
not serving the digital transformation of
the business? We need to be 'futurists'
and to look around the bend. We need
to set the critical competence profiles
for the future. The Talent function
must become leaders for growth and
innovation thinking."
Our mission as talent and learning
leaders is clear: to develop life-long
learners with the skills and aptitudes to
close the digital competence gap and
renew our organizations.
Bob Newhouse is CEO of Newhouse
Consultants, founded to help clients
accelerate results through talent and
technology. Bob is the executive director
for the Global Talent Innovation Network
and was chief talent and learning officer for
Noble Corporation. Email Bob.
http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC83167 http://www.fortune.com/2017/01/18/davos-ai-social-contract-ceo/ http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEFUSA_NewVisionforEducation_Report2015.pdf http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEFUSA_NewVisionforEducation_Report2015.pdf http://www.newhouseconsultants.com/ http://www.newhouseconsultants.com/
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2017
