Teachers in the United Kingdom are the most proficient in ICT in the developed world, according to a new report.

The OECD Skills Outlook, published today, says that the UK has the lowest proportion of teachers who report to be in need of training in ICT.

It reveals that just under a third of teachers (32 per cent) need more training - which is the lowest level among the 36 member countries.

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The OECD has produced a report into how well countries’ populations are prepared in digital skills.

It says that teachers in the United Kingdom are well prepared but raises concerns about some of the country’s workforce and young people.

The report finds that more than 60 per cent of UK teachers are top performers in problem-solving in a technology-rich environment.

However, it also warns that the UK is one of the countries where a relatively high number of young people lack the basic skills needed in a digital world.

It says: “In some countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, the share of young people lacking basic skills is relatively high. In these countries, policies need to ensure education and training systems equip all young people with strong skills.” 

Last month, the government announced that adults with no or few digital skills are to be given access to a new suite of free courses.

Apprenticeship and skills minister Anne Milton said the “essential digital skills” qualifications will be available from 2020 while digital functional skills qualifications are planned to be taught from 2021.

The OECD also says 13.7 per cent of workers in the UK need training to avoid the risk of their work being replaced by automation. This is higher than the OECD average of 10.9 per cent.

The report adds that people lacking basic cognitive skills are most at risk of not being able to adapt in a digital environment and should be a particular focus of policy.

The OECD report says countries where the population tends to have a well-rounded set of skills also tend to have small proportions of adults who “lack the required combination of basic cognitive skills including ICT skills”. 

It adds that there are significant variations between countries, with some having a much more prepared “prime-age workforce” such as the Czech Republic, Finland and Japan, while others, notably Chile and Turkey, have significant shares of unprepared adults.

The report adds: “In countries with a high share of people lacking basic skills and young people not performing much better than prime-age ones such as Greece and to some extent the United Kingdom, the focus needs to be put on improving the quality and inclusiveness of initial education.”

The OECD member countries are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. 

The DfE has been contacted for comment.