Digital skills are essential to modern life, but it can be difficult to know which skills you need and where to learn them. Our Skills Tool helps identify the digital skills you need and find the local services and support available to help you.
Do you need help getting online?
Click 'Start' to answer some questions and find the nearest options for accessing the help you need.
Alternatively you can follow this link to the directory where you can search for services directly.
Our Skills Tool assesses what skills you need and recommends resources and services that can support you to improve and make progress. You may wish to improve your skills for life, to help you with day-to-day online tasks. Or you can develop skills to pursue a more digital career, strengthen your CV and improve your employability. Follow the links below for more information on the different pathways available.
Improve your skills for life to help with everyday tasks. This includes online banking, ordering prescriptions or making video calls.
ExploreUse our Skills for Life pathway to develop skills that help with everyday tasks online, engage with new technology, and keep in touch with friends and family. Use our Skills for Work pathway to become more skilled in your workplace and to help progress your career and employability.
Improving your digital skills can improve your job opportunities. Become more skilled in the workplace or work towards a digital career.
ExploreGet your Digital Skills Score by completing our short skills assessment. Find local services and resources to help you make progress and update your assessment to see your score improve. Come back anytime to update your score and find new resources. Why not get started today!
Skills for Work or Skills for Life. You can do both if you wish, but choose the one you want to begin with.
Create your profile by verifying your phone number or email address. This means you can log back in at anytime to continue and to update your progress!
This will assess the skills you have and help identify the skills that you need to work on and improve.
See your Skills Score and what you need to do to improve. Answer questions again and learn more about the two pathways and the types of skills involved.
Check your recommended services and resources to find out how to develop and grow your digital skills by connecting with local organisations, training providers and groups.
Come back and update your answers and increase your score to see if you can reach the next milestone!
Digital skills can help you to become more independent and productive at home. You can also keep in touch with your friends, family and local community. For some people, improving their digital skills is the first step to a new career. Read our stories from residents in Essex who have been able to change their lives by improving their digital skills.
Anne is a retired Teacher in her 70’s, she first came to the Maldon Digital Drop In session with techno phobia - but is proof that with some patience, encouragement and time that anyone can become digitally connected and improve their digital skills!
No question was ever made to feel silly and over time Anne learnt the basics of using her phone, setting up an email address and Facebook account and how to make video calls. Anne has completed several of the learning modules on Learn My Way and has been learning how to Stay Safe Online.
Anne’s willingness to learn has encouraged her to explore the skills she needs to find information, stay in touch with family and friends, and safely enjoy using the internet.
Christine was one of the 54% with no digital skills at all when she began attending the Digital Support Group at Colchester Library to kick-start her digital skills journey. Christine knew she wanted to learn how to use email, pay her bills online and today she continues to work towards improving her life and work skills and has become confident in completing online forms, making purchases securely and buying, installing and using apps on her tablet.
Her interest in digital skills has significantly boosted Christine’s independence, leading her to find and locate nearby groups that have helped her in reducing her social isolation and loneliness. As a result Christine has become a Digital Ambassador for Colchester libraries and is sharing her journey with others as part of running a stall at the next ‘Get Online Week Event’ encouraging others to join the Digital Support Group and improve their digital skills together.
Christine continues to explore and expand her digital knowledge, attending drop in’s, tutorials and requesting the occasional adhoc one-to-one but is now highly independent in attending online activities and today is learning how to manage her health more effectively with the NHS application.
Tim had a life changing stroke last year and lives in a rural part of Essex. Because of his stroke Tim can’t currently drive and has no local bus services meaning that he has to take an expensive taxi round trip into town to do his shopping. Losing his driving licence as a result of the stroke also took away Tim’s income as a driver, and unable to afford the contract for his mobile phone, and with no broadband internet options at his rural home, Tim had become dangerously isolated.
Witham Hub’s outreach programme visited Tim at his home and quickly began helping him with his digital skills and connectivity to combat the difficult circumstances his stroke had put him in. Through the national databank service Witham Hub was able to get Tim free data for his mobile phone and began making sure he was confident and safe in using the internet.
Tim learnt how to do his shopping online and to receive deliveries at home, he also reapplied for his driving licence, using online forms, and made applications to the Government’s benefit schemes he was eligible for. His digital skills have been a lifeline to getting back on his feet and Tim has become one of Witham Hub’s greatest digital skills advocates and helps to promote the Outreach Programme to support others isolated in their homes.
