Gig workers should have the right to develop their skills and fulfil their ambitions, but many feel they are stuck in a rut, a new report from think tank Doteveryone has found.

For those with existing skills and financial means, the report finds, gig work offers flexibility and freedom. But for those who don’t, the app has become a trap. They have no option but to work gigs, and no way out once they’ve begun.

Some larger players in the digital gig economy are investing in the development of their workers – Deliveroo’s recently-established Rider Academy offers workers opportunities to pitch business ideas to an investor panel and access to online qualifications and a limited number of degree scholarships.

But in general, the work conditions of the gig economy – the low pay, long and volatile hours, and poor sense of self-worth – create barriers to making plans:

“I do not have the time to improve my skills, because my number one priority is to be earning enough to survive, be comfortable,” said one Microtasker from Birmingham.

The report discusses how gig workers’ careers fragment into unpredictable micro-chunks, framing workers’ worldviews in units of minutes and hours and narrowing their horizons. Some gig platforms are inherently hypershort-term – nearly two-thirds of jobs on MechanicalTurk, where businesses can “crowdsource remotely located workers to complete discrete and repetitive tasks,” take no more than a few minutes at a time.

“I could be closer to [my goal] if this gig work was a bit more reliable... if I wasn’t stretched and tired so much I could focus slightly more on studies,” said a cleaner from London.

Other platform features – algorithm-driven surge pricing for example – also lend themselves to living in the moment. Workers spoke of a false flexibility, where people who chose to turn down shifts or not engage during peak hours are penalised.

And rigid ratings systems often focus on short-term metrics such as delivery speed, which can decay quickly if workers don’t maintain them or take time off:

“Going on holiday could affect your statistics, you’re only as good as your last month. If you took more than a few weeks off you’d find it hard to then book on good shifts,” said a courier from Milton Keynes.

Some workers described an alternative future where they could define the feedback that’s most helpful to them, focusing on transferable skills that they could use to take the next step up their career ladder or progress within digital gig work itself.

“I would like some constructive criticism, some training, that could get me to the next level of gig work. I feel like there’s a hierarchy within [gig work] and if there is training to be had to get pay higher well – please tell me what I need to do!” said a cleaner from London.

Those at the bottom end of the gig economy are trapped, says the report. Their dreams do not vanish, but the lack of financial security and dignity of their work often means they remain a fantasy.

Achieving aspirations with the National Retraining Scheme

Doteveryone’s research finds that one-size-fits-all approaches to training and development don’t work for all gig workers. Those who are working gigs through necessity and not choice have little time, money and headspace. They need tailored advice and guidance to meet their goals. It says:

“The National Retraining Scheme has been set up to address the expected impacts of automation on the economy. But gig economy workers are already bearing the brunt of technological disruption and need help now. We recommend adapting the government’s National Retraining Scheme to provide the holistic support that gig workers need.

“Services could include micro-learning and mentoring courses, that can be used flexibly around the variable working schedules of gig workers. The scheme should also incorporate financial and mental health support and offer ways for workers to be able to demonstrate and get recognised for the many transferable skills they develop through their gigs.”

Read the full report and recommendations here.