INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY
Reading, writing, maths, and digital skills are your foundation for lifelong learning. You need them to find jobs, change careers, earn qualifications, and feel confident online…
International Literacy Day, which falls on 8th September, is celebrating its 60th year. UNESCO leads this annual event to highlight the importance of education and lifelong learning for everyone. The theme for 2026 is promoting literacy in the digital era.
Skills and opportunity
Unlike the UK, many countries lack a formal education system. Here at home, we sometimes take education for granted. So don’t forget how lucky we are: value it and keep learning even after finishing school.
Today, being literate means having skills in reading, writing, maths, and using digital tools, including AI. These abilities help you find opportunities and take part in all areas of life and work. Without them, it can be harder to keep learning or get some jobs.
If you or someone you know struggles with literacy in any area, below are some reasons to keep learning and trying.
Communication
Literacy helps you share your ideas clearly at work, in school, and in everyday life. When you can speak or write well, people understand you more clearly, and you are more likely to succeed. We use communication in all spheres of life. Brushing up on different forms of communication can help drive your success.
Employment and careers
Digital skills, numeracy, and communication are essential in today’s workplace. They can help you get a job, take on new responsibilities, and advance your career. Knowing how to use technology, including AI, is increasingly important across more jobs.
Preparing for the future
Technology keeps changing the way we live and work. Stay up to date with new tools and skills. The skills you need today may change tomorrow. Basic literacy skills across key areas are a stepping stone to more advanced knowledge. Lifelong learning keeps you adaptable and makes you attractive to employers.
Lifelong learning
You need reading, writing, maths, and digital skills throughout life, not just in school. Even vocational careers, like hairdressing, catering, or mechanics, rely on these core skills. Consider these examples:
Hairdresser: You’ll definitely need maths to calculate colour-mixing percentages. You may also need to use an online booking system or complete an online course for a new employer to show you understand their policies or procedures.
Chef: Like many jobs, in this role a small misunderstanding could have a big impact. Alongside reading safety guidance, working out quantities and timings, you may have to use digital ordering or stock systems. And of course, an accurate understanding of allergen information is crucial.
Mechanic: Garage and dealership workers often need to read and interpret diagnostic information from a computer. Maths will come in handy for calculating costs across parts and labour. And with modern cars, technical information is just as important as the mechanical elements.
Boosting confidence
Poor literacy skills can create anxiety for people when they have to deal with filling out a form, writing an email, or using a computer. This can make them avoid new chances instead of taking them.
When you improve your literacy, it makes it much easier to complete application forms, undertake training courses, or find new online services. You do not have to be an expert, but having the confidence to try is a big step.
Do I still need literacy skills in a world of AI?
It is unrealistic to think that AI can do everything for you. At the same time, it’s naive to think you will never have to use it at work; if not now, at some point in the future. We all need AI literacy.
AI can write emails, summarise documents, and answer questions, but it doesn’t replace the need for strong literacy in the person using it. In fact, someone’s lack of literacy can become more obvious when they use AI. Using AI effectively means checking information for factual correctness, using judgment, and giving clear instructions.
Foundation for the future
To sum up, reading, writing, maths, and digital skills are the basics for lifelong learning, work, and confidence in daily life. As technology changes, these skills will help you adapt and find new chances.
Adults can improve their maths and English with Functional Skills and GCSE-level courses. These can help you get better job opportunities and move forward in your career. Look for local support. Many libraries in the Liverpool City Region offer computer literacy courses. You can also contact your local college, as many provide free adult courses in maths and English.
Reading, writing, maths, and digital skills are your foundation for lifelong learning. You need them to find jobs, change careers, earn qualifications, and feel confident online. Technology will keep changing, and so will the skills you need. By continually improving your literacy and related skills, you create more opportunities for your future, at whatever stage of life you are at.
