MENA Workers Seek 41% More With Digital Skills

In a recent survey conducted by Kaspersky , more than half of employees in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) region expressed a deficiency in digital skills when working with computers and other digital devices. These employees believe that possessing advanced digital skills could lead to an average increase in earnings of 41%. Notably, respondents in Egypt anticipate a 53% salary boost with enhanced digital skills, while those in the UAE and Saudi Arabia expect 44% and 36% increases, respectively. Similarly, employees in Turkey and South Africa envision a 35% and 36% salary rise, respectively, with improved digital expertise.

Recognizing the significance of acquiring and refining digital skills, 79% of employees in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa have independently sought paid or free digital literacy training. The adoption rates vary by country, with figures standing at 75% in Egypt, 70% in Saudi Arabia, 91% in the UAE, 81% in Turkey, and 76% in South Africa.

The absence of digital skills not only hinders career progression and income growth but also poses substantial cybersecurity risks to the employing organizations. Employees serve as a crucial line of defense, or “human firewall,” against cyber threats, and inadequate skills could result in security breaches such as phishing attacks or ransomware incidents. Therefore, it is imperative for individuals across all levels within an organization, from top managers to interns, to receive comprehensive IT and cybersecurity training.

Brandon Muller, Technical Expert for the MEA region at Kaspersky, emphasizes the pivotal role of digital skills in career advancement today. He also underscores the importance of organizations investing in IT and cybersecurity training for their workforce, as this not only enhances their reputation as caring employers but also fortifies the cybersecurity infrastructure of the organization. Kaspersky’s Automated Security Awareness Platform is recommended as a specialized solution for achieving both individual upskilling and organizational cybersecurity goals.

To facilitate the improvement of employees’ digital skills, Kaspersky experts suggest:

• Conducting regular assessments to identify the most essential digital skills for business needs.
• Organizing cyber literacy courses and training sessions, utilizing tools like the Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform , an online learning platform designed to educate employees on relevant cybersecurity topics.