Are Digital Skills the Key to Job Security in 2026?

In 2026, AI agents are expected to be “game-changers” for manufacturers, according to Forbes. Artificial intelligence, data analytics, and automation have all made their way into the manufacturing process in ways no one could have imagined — and AI won’t just analyse data anymore; it will act on it and solve problems.

This rapid evolution is laying the groundwork for Industry 5.0, where human workforces need the right digital skills to work alongside AI. The crux of Industry 5.0 isn’t about replacing humans — it’s about finding the right balance between automation and people.

A report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics says digital technologies will impact a majority of jobs by 2030, and according to Your Career, 87% of jobs in Australia already require digital literacy skills. So in 2026, the question isn’t whether digital skills matter, it’s how quickly you can build them.

Employers are increasingly looking for candidates with digital skills to enhance productivity and competitiveness. In fact, digital skills are now fundamental requirements for up to 87% of all jobs across nearly every industry. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, that’s completely understandable. But don’t worry — focus on adding or upgrading these transferable skills first and your foundation will be rock-solid for developing more niche advanced skills.

Artificial intelligence is transforming industries like healthcare, finance, retail, and logistics. According to LinkedIn, AI and machine learning are evolving rapidly, and businesses are investing heavily in these technologies.

That’s why AI literacy is becoming a key skill. It means understanding how AI works, how it’s used in the workplace, and how to collaborate with AI tools effectively.

Skills related to AI literacy often include:

• working with AI-powered tools
• understanding machine learning basics
• interpreting AI-driven insights
• applying AI to improve workflows and decision-making

As AI adoption grows, professionals who understand how to use it responsibly and effectively will have a clear advantage.

Digital literacy goes beyond knowing how to use a computer. It’s the ability to confidently, creatively, and critically use digital technology in everyday life and work.

According to Developing Employability, digital literacy helps people navigate a world where communication, collaboration, and problem-solving increasingly happen online.

Key digital literacy skills include:

• using workplace software and digital platforms
• communicating effectively online
• managing digital information and files
• adapting to new technologies and tools

In a digital-first economy, strong digital literacy helps you stay productive, adaptable, and competitive.

Modern organisations rely on data to guide decisions, improve performance, and identify new opportunities. That’s why data analysis skills are in high demand.

Professionals who can collect, interpret, and communicate data insights help businesses make smarter choices.

Common data analysis skills include:

• collecting and cleaning data
• analysing trends and patterns
• using tools like Excel, SQL, or data visualisation platforms
• presenting insights in a clear and actionable way

Roles such as data analyst business analyst, and marketing analyst continue to grow as companies become more data-driven.

Cyber threats are increasing, making cyber security skills essential across almost every industry.

Businesses need professionals who can protect systems, networks, and sensitive data from breaches and attacks. Even basic cyber security knowledge is becoming a workplace expectation.

Important cyber security skills include:

• identifying security risks and vulnerabilities
• protecting sensitive data
• understanding safe online practices
• using security tools and monitoring systems

Certifications in areas such as Microsoft security, cloud security, and network protection can make professionals especially valuable in this field.

User experience (UX) design focuses on creating products and digital platforms that are easy, efficient, and enjoyable to use.

According to the Interaction Design Foundation, UX design considers the entire user journey — from first interaction to long-term engagement.

UX professionals combine design, psychology, and technology to improve how people interact with digital products.

Key UX skills include:

• user research and testing
• interface design
• usability and accessibility improvements
• optimising digital experiences for websites and apps

As businesses compete on digital experience, UX skills are becoming increasingly valuable across industries.

Social media marketing skills are essential for engaging with customers and promoting brands online. Mobile technology is also crucial in digital marketing, with mobile optimisation and mobile-friendly content now fundamental for reaching audiences who use mobile devices for research, communication, and commerce.

So she took on one of the online courses available through Upskilled: a Diploma of Social Media Marketing. “The course was self-paced, so I did it whenever I felt like it. I just would come home after work and sit and do it.”

Videos are a key component of content marketing strategies that drive engagement and brand awareness, making them an important skill for social media managers. Though the average course duration was one year, she completed it within seven months and landed a sales and marketing associate position two months later.

“Now I’m doing what I want to do,” she says.

Evie’s pathway from study to a new career was surprisingly short, considering she wasn’t actively looking for a new job. “I was just looking around, and an opportunity popped up in October. And then I had a job in December — I got that job. It all happened so fast.”

Evie was reluctant to spend a long time studying at university. “What if you commit to a four-year degree and then get halfway and realise, ‘Oh my God, I don’t even like this?'” For many people in the same position, exploring short courses to test new career paths can be a lower-risk way to build skills and clarity.

Instead, she focused on gaining skills that would get her job-ready, which she says paid off in her new role. “I use what I learned in the course every day,” she says.

That’s become even more true as AI tools have entered the picture. Social media marketing now moves so quickly that generative AI is used for content creating, scheduling, analytics and more. Having a structured understanding of the fundamentals has given Evie a solid base to work from as the tools around her evolve.

Marketing professionals require a host of digital skills, including social media management, information technology capabilities such as data analysis and cyber security, and search engine optimisation. The range of competencies expected from modern marketers continues to expand, reflecting the in demand digital skills that employers prioritise when hiring.

Marketing is notorious for jargon and acronyms, which can be overwhelming for someone new to the industry. But after studying, Evie says, “I know the lingo.”

Evie considers herself more at home with visual communication, so she appreciated the course’s practical, visual focus. “All the assignments were all presentations, but visual, so it was all about more images and less wording. And I was like, ‘Oh, this is where I’m supposed to be.'”

Evie chose to learn digital skills online — even though she lives close to Sydney — because it was flexible and fit around her schedule. “I wanted to keep working as much as I could and study. So this is the best of both worlds.”

“Being online, you can feel like you’re on your own — but it didn’t feel like that.” With easy-to-digest course content and one-on-one access to her tutor, she says, “I felt fully supported.”

Evie is excited about her prospects and glad she chose digital skills as her path into a creative career. “It’s good to have gotten in early because everyone’s starting to discover it now.”

Software enabled pharmacists to remotely complete dispensing tasks (such as checking drug interactions and doses), allowing more pharmacists to work from home. “It’s an interesting concept, but it doesn’t replace actual pharmacies because you still need a pharmacist in the store.”

Pharmacy staff can also struggle with troubleshooting new technologies in their fast-paced workplaces. “When things go wrong, you just stand there, and what do you do? You have to look for IT for help.”

But customers are often pressed for time, and the pressure can mount while waiting for a response from IT support.

“You just end up saying, ‘Oh, can I fix this myself,’ and try to play around,” he says.

After noticing how technology solves (and also creates) community pharmacy problems, Avishkar started to get his own ideas. How could technology help alleviate real frustrations and bottlenecks in his industry?

“I’m very pro-technology, obviously. But even though I’m happy to bring technology into pharmacy, my colleagues are resistant. They don’t know how these things work. It’s that mentality that ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.”

He knew his colleagues’ frustrations and attitudes firsthand. How might he create a technology that would serve his colleagues rather than make their jobs more challenging or complicated?

“Pharmacy is such a busy environment. There is no time to train staff up to scratch on dealing with customers, the required product knowledge, and the necessary procedures.”

Avishkar also knew that while educational resources were available online, staff were unlikely to sit down and study them after work. So he came up with a better idea.

Instead of asking senior staff questions about products and protocols, junior staff could use the app and increase their knowledge when it suited them — like on the train or during lunch break.

He also knew that his perspective made him the right person to build it.

“When I’d talk to my friends about it, they say, ‘Oh, you could just give it to an IT guy to do it’. But the problem with that is that, yes, the IT guy would know how to develop an app, but they wouldn’t know the pharmacy field.”

Avishkar had the idea. Now he needed the skills to pull it off. The next step was to take on a course, and he chose a Certificate IV in Programming with Upskilled.

This online course was practical and covered a range of IT skills. He particularly gelled with databases, which satisfied his natural tendency to organise and sort information. “I seem to be one of those people who is very organised. So that’s pretty much what database software entails, right?”

“And the other part that I liked was the final assignment when you had to make an app,” Avishkar reflects. “I made one called morning yoga, so it was just a set of yoga poses that you made in an app. And you tried to present it. It was quite fun.”

Avishkar now finds he’s more confident using the changing technologies at work and helping others adopt new technologies in the pharmacy.

That understanding has made him more effective at troubleshooting and bridging the gap between tech teams that build new pharmacy tools and the pharmacists who actually use them every day.

This new understanding has also enabled him to troubleshoot more effectively. “It’s not ‘just a piece of junk’ like people say when dealing with computers, and they don’t work. You understand that this is why it’s not working, and then you can fix things better.”

He hopes to start learning more and working on his pharmacy training app soon after finding the right partner for the project.

“And I think it’s going to help a lot of people. Imagine that you’ve got something to help teach you all the ups and downs of pharmacy.”

If you want to stay competitive and open the door to new career opportunities, developing digital skills is a smart place to start. The good news? You don’t have to pause your career or put your life on hold to learn something new.

With flexible online courses, you can upskill at your own pace while continuing to work and manage your commitments. Explore hundreds of courses from leading Australian education providers and take the next step toward a future-ready career.