Can providers meet the online service delivery demand while tackling a digital-skills shortage?

?Convenience and speed – not to mention practically in the context of pandemic lockdowns – have driven public demand for online service delivery from both governments and private service providers. This modern mode of app-based service delivery is no longer a “nice to have”; it’s now expected, and this is evident in the proliferation of apps that have been key in the success of our rapidly digitised world.

?Over 500 million digital apps and services will be developed and deployed by 2023, according to a forecast shared in the 2021 whitepaper by Microsoft and PwC. This figure is impressive because it’s the same number of apps developed in the last 40 years combined.

?The uptick in apps directly correlates to the increased smartphone penetration rate across the world, with mobile fast becoming the dominant platform for online access across the MENA region. An estimated 60 percent of MENA’s population use smartphones to access the internet. In the GCC alone, the current 79 percent smartphone penetration rate is predicted to reach 91 percent by 2025 based on the GSMA’s mobile-economy analysis.

?Against the backdrop of increased smartphone and app usage, the whitepaper highlights a new challenge faced by governments, public enterprises, and private organisations alike: how can they quickly and practically deliver the number of apps that people want?

?Developer skills: low supply, high demand

?A digital-skills gap seems to be at the root of the current problem for organisations looking to meet the app demand. MEA’s service providers understand the need for staff with developer skills, but 30 percent are struggling to fill these critical roles. This has been flagged as a huge area of concern by 70 percent of CEOs from Middle Eastern companies, who see the digital skills gap as a threat to their business growth and future sustainability.

?The bulk – that’s nearly 65% – of recently surveyed companies would like to hire up to 50 developers this year, but many are going to have to think outside of the box to fill the organisational needs these new hires would address. The business environment is more fast paced than ever before and the customers’ expectations are at an all-time high. Companies cannot afford to sit idle while searching for suitable developer candidates.

?Digital-skills gap solved by a digital solution

?The need for fast and efficient app development is addressed by low-code application platforms (LCAPs), which require no coding experience for non-IT staff to use. The training on LCAPs is minimal, as these platforms are user-friendly and easily mastered, substantially cutting down on the time an organisation would have spent on reskilling or upskilling staff with traditional developer training.

?LCAPs – like the Power Platform run by Microsoft and PwC using Microsoft’s Power Apps – are intuitive tools offering pre-built templates and a drag-and-drop interface for quick app development. Apps can be customised in the build and updated once live, and various departments in an organisation can create them, without any IT assistance or additional budget or resources.

?This will be especially helpful for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with limited budgets, enabling them to remain competitive in the global digital economy. However, with budgets and resources needing to be streamlined across companies of all sizes, Gartner’s prediction tracks: 50% of medium to large organisations will have an LCAP by 2023.

?Looking at the future of work, the need to shape a digitally strong workforce through youth education remains an important priority, as these skills will continue to be in high demand. However, the rise of solutions that empower organisations and non-IT staff to contribute meaningfully in a digitally transformed landscape will equally continue. This will level the tech-skills playing field for idea innovation to take centre stage.?