Building a Data-Literate Workforce: Why Upskilling in Data and AI Belongs on Your Learning Portal
Data and AI skills are no longer reserved for data teams. They are becoming baseline skills for every role, and the organizations that build them deliberately, through a structured path on their learning portal, will be the ones that turn data and AI investments into results.
Definition
Data literacy is the ability to understand, work with, and communicate data; AI literacy is the ability to use AI systems knowingly, including their risks. Both are about informed use, not about turning everyone into a data scientist.
The gap is real. In the 2024 Work Trend Index, Microsoft and LinkedIn found that 66% of business leaders would not hire someone without AI skills, yet only 39% of employees using AI at work had received AI training from their employer (Microsoft). Closing that gap is now a business priority and, in some jurisdictions, a legal one.
This article explains what data and AI literacy mean, why the enterprise learning portal is the right place to build them, how to structure role-based learning paths, and how vendor-neutral certifications such as DASCIN’s give that learning a recognized standard.
What Data Literacy and AI Literacy Mean
Data literacy. Gartner defines it as the ability to read, write, and communicate data in context. That includes understanding where data comes from, which analytical methods were applied, and what value the result delivers (Gartner, via CDO Trends). Gartner describes it as a second language that everyone in a data-driven business needs to speak, and its Chief Data Officer surveys have ranked poor data literacy as the second-biggest internal roadblock to the success of data and analytics leaders.
AI literacy. The EU AI Act gives the most widely cited formal definition: the skills, knowledge, and understanding that let people deploy AI systems in an informed way and stay aware of AI’s opportunities, risks, and possible harms (artificialintelligenceact.eu, Article 4).
In practice, the two build on each other. AI systems learn from data, so an employee who cannot judge data quality, bias, or context cannot judge an AI output either.
| Data literacy | AI literacy | |
|---|---|---|
| Core question | Can I trust and explain this number? | Can I trust and responsibly use this AI output? |
| Everyday skills | Reading dashboards, questioning sources, spotting misleading charts | Knowing what AI can and cannot do, checking outputs, protecting data |
| Risk if missing | Poor decisions from misread or low-quality data | Errors, privacy breaches, and compliance exposure |
The Gap: Demand Is Rising Faster Than Skills
Employers expect data and AI skills to grow in importance faster than any others, yet most workforces have not been trained for them. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 ranks AI and big data as the fastest-growing skill to 2030, ahead of networks and cybersecurity and technological literacy (World Economic Forum).
World Economic Forum
The Future of Jobs Report 2025
Survey of 1,000+ employers representing 14 million+ workers
66%
Business leaders who would not hire someone without AI skills (Microsoft and LinkedIn, 2024)
39%
Employees using AI at work who had received AI training from their employer (Microsoft and LinkedIn, 2024)
63%
Employers naming skill gaps as the biggest barrier to business transformation (World Economic Forum, 2025)
85%
Employers planning to prioritize upskilling their workforce (World Economic Forum, 2025)
The same report finds that workers can expect 39% of their existing skills to be transformed or outdated by 2030. Employers name skill gaps as the single biggest barrier to business transformation (63%), and 85% plan to prioritize upskilling their workforce. Two-thirds also plan to hire talent with specific AI skills (World Economic Forum).
Inside organizations, the gap is already visible. Three out of four knowledge workers use AI at work, and 78% of those users bring their own tools, yet only 39% have received AI training from their company (Microsoft and LinkedIn, 2024 Work Trend Index). Untrained use of AI on company data is exactly the kind of risk that data and AI literacy is meant to reduce.
A compliance driver, too
For organizations operating in the European Union, AI literacy is now a legal requirement. Article 4 of the EU AI Act requires providers and deployers of AI systems to take measures to ensure a sufficient level of AI literacy among staff who operate or use AI on their behalf, adjusted to their role and context (European Commission AI Act Service Desk). The obligation has applied since February 2, 2025, and the Commission has said supervision and enforcement start in August 2026. It also encourages organizations to keep records of the training they provide (Travers Smith).
Why the Learning Portal Is the Right Home
Data and AI upskilling fails when it lives in scattered webinars, ad hoc vendor courses, and personal subscriptions. An enterprise learning portal, the single branded entry point to all of an organization’s learning, turns those fragments into a program people can find, follow, and prove.
Building Role-Based Learning Paths
The most effective programs give everyone a shared foundation, then add depth by role. Not everyone needs to build a model, but everyone needs to question a chart and use AI tools safely.
| Learner group | Goal | What the path should cover |
|---|---|---|
| All employees | Understand and question data; use AI responsibly | Data basics, reading charts and dashboards, data privacy, what AI can and cannot do, safe use of AI tools |
| Managers and business users | Make and defend data-informed decisions | Asking the right questions of data, interpreting analysis, judging AI outputs, setting team data practices |
| Analysts | Turn data into insight | Statistics, data preparation, analysis and machine learning methods, visualization, storytelling |
| Data and technical specialists | Build and run reliable data and AI systems | Data architecture, pipelines, governance, model development and operations |
| Leaders and governance roles | Steer strategy and manage risk | Data and AI strategy, regulation such as the EU AI Act and GDPR, ethics, governance structures |
How to set it up on the portal
- 1
Baseline first. Gartner recommends assessing data literacy to find gaps and identifying the people who already “speak data” fluently, so they can champion the program (Gartner, via CDO Trends).
- 2
Cover the regulatory minimum for AI. The European Commission’s guidance says staff should understand what AI is, which AI systems the organization uses, their risks and mitigations, and the relevant legal and ethical issues (Travers Smith). Make this a required module for anyone who uses AI at work.
- 3
Assign paths automatically. Use HR attributes such as role and department to enroll people in the right path, and let them opt into higher levels.
- 4Mix formats. Combine short self-paced modules, practice on real company data, peer communities, and live sessions.
- 5End each level with a recognized milestone. An assessment or certification gives learners a clear goal and gives the organization a consistent standard.
Measuring Progress With the Portal’s Own Data
A data literacy program should practice what it teaches: set metrics before launch and use the portal’s data to prove impact. Standards such as xAPI and cmi5 from the ADL Initiative let a portal capture learning activity across many systems in a consistent format, not just course completions inside one LMS (ADL Initiative).
| Term | Main question | Typical outputs |
|---|---|---|
| AI ethics | What is right and wrong for AI, and why? | Values, principles, ethical impact assessments, codes of conduct |
| Responsible AI | How do we build and use AI in line with those principles? | Design practices, bias testing, model documentation, review boards |
| AI governance | Who decides, who is accountable, and how is it checked? | Policies, roles, AI inventories, risk registers, ISO/IEC 42001 management systems |
| AI regulation | What does the law require? | Legal obligations, conformity assessments, penalties (for example the EU AI Act) |
| AI safety | How do we prevent AI from causing serious or catastrophic harm? | Evaluations, red teaming, alignment research, incident response |
LinkedIn’s 2025 research shows most organizations still measure learning mainly through engagement and retention. It urges learning leaders to show how a program helps the company make money, save money, or reduce risk (LinkedIn Learning). Data and AI literacy programs are well placed to do this, because the outcomes they target, better decisions and safer AI use, leave a data trail of their own.
Where DASCIN Certifications Fit
DASCIN certifications give each level of a portal learning path an independent, vendor-neutral benchmark. The Data Science Institute (DASCIN) offers its data and AI credentials through the Enterprise Big Data Framework (EBDF), a vendor-neutral methodology for structuring, managing, and getting value from data. The certifications are administered and accredited by APMG International (APMG International).
| Learner group | DASCIN certification | Focus | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| All employees | Data Literacy Fundamentals (DLFU) | Managing, analyzing, visualizing, and communicating data | 60 minutes, 40 multiple-choice questions, closed book |
| All employees handling personal data | GDPR Awareness | Data protection principles, data subject rights, breach and consent management | 45 minutes, 30 multiple-choice questions, closed book |
| Managers, business users, project and IT professionals | Enterprise Big Data Professional (EBDP) | Big data terminology, roles, architectures, and the link between data, machine learning, and AI | 90 minutes, 60 multiple-choice questions, closed book |
| Analysts | Enterprise Big Data Analyst (EBDA) | Statistical and machine learning models, choosing the right model for a business problem | 2.5 hours, case-study based, open book |
| Data and technical specialists | Enterprise Big Data Engineer (EBDE) | Data storage, pipelines, governance, and big data technologies | 120 minutes, 80 multiple-choice questions, closed book |
APMG also lists further DASCIN credentials as coming soon, including AI Awareness, AI Fundamentals, Data Management Fundamentals, Data Governance Fundamentals, Enterprise Big Data Scientist, and Enterprise Big Data Architect. These will extend the pathway into AI literacy and governance roles.
Why certifications strengthen a portal program
- A common standard. Every learner is measured against the same framework, regardless of which courses they took.
- Flexible delivery. Candidates can train with an accredited training organization or self-study and sit an online proctored exam, available around the clock.
- Portable proof. Successful candidates receive a digital badge, and the Enterprise Big Data certifications do not expire.
- Skills mapping. APMG maps the certifications to the SFIA skills framework, which helps HR teams link them to job levels
Getting started
- 1Add Data Literacy Fundamentals as the foundation milestone in your portal’s all-employee path.
- 2Place EBDP, EBDA, and EBDE at the end of the manager, analyst, and specialist paths.
- 3Track enrollments, pass rates, and badges on the portal alongside your business metrics.
To explore the full framework, official guides, and accredited training providers, visit DASCIN or APMG International.
References
- Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative. cmi5 Specification. U.S. Department of Defense.
- APMG International. DASCIN Enterprise Big Data Framework Certification.
- Bersin, Josh. Harnessing Hyperconnectivity. Chief Learning Officer, May 21, 2018.
- European Commission, AI Act Service Desk. Article 4: AI Literacy. EU Artificial Intelligence Act.
- Future of Life Institute. Article 4: AI Literacy. EU Artificial Intelligence Act explorer, including the Article 3(56) definition.
- Logan, Valerie. A Data and Analytics Leader’s Guide to Data Literacy. Gartner, March 2019, republished by CDO Trends.
- LinkedIn Learning. Workplace Learning Report 2025.
- Microsoft and LinkedIn. 2024 Work Trend Index: AI at Work Is Here. Microsoft News, May 8, 2024.
- Training Industry, Inc. Learning Portal Architecture. Training Industry Wiki.
- Travers Smith. The EU AI Act’s AI Literacy Requirement: Key Considerations. Legal briefing, July 29, 2025.
- World Economic Forum. The Future of Jobs Report 2025. January 7, 2025.
This entry is for general information and is not legal advice. Regulatory details reflect published sources as of October 2026.
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