The Digital Coalition is launching the ‘Digital Counsellor’ project, which aims to highlight the currently changing labour market and prepare people in the information technology and telecommunications (ITaT) sector for the changes ahead. Using the renowned psychometric tools of the British company SHL®and coaching, it will help the individual identify his strengths applicable to the labour market and offer him recommendations that he can use when planning his next career and education.
The aim and initiative of the creation of the project responds to the priority areas and recommendations for improving the level of use of skills listed in the OECD Skills Strategy for the Slovak Republic. The implementation of the project will contribute to ensuring the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of the Slovak economy and labour market due to the changes brought about by the digital transformation.
“The ongoing digital transformation, process automation and the increasing use of artificial intelligence are forcing businesses to gradually switch to digital platforms and automate their processes to increase efficiency and reduce costs. This trend leads to the disappearance of traditional jobs, which are replaced by new positions. And it is no different in the IT and telecommunications sector, where more than 120,000 people need to update their skills by 2025 and it is a key part of the Slovak economy and employment”, said Mário Lelovský, Chairman of the Digital Coalition.
The Slovak labour market has been significantly affected by changes in recent years. Automation of routine activities is related to reducing the need for repetitive work, which affects low-skilled occupations, but also part of specialist occupations. The introduction of AI is also changing the job requirements of those people in the IT and telecommunications sector who have so far felt intact. This situation leads to the need for retraining and further training of staff so that they can perform more complex tasks and make effective use of new technologies.
“By2027, up to 12 835 jobs are expected to be lost, with positions such as client support operator, IT user support technician, IT service and operations worker, ICT tester and website developer most at risk. The project will help target groups to navigate current labour market trends and provide them with the tools of individualised support and coaching so that they can apply to jobs for which they have personal abilities and which are also prospective on the labour market.”, added Lelovský.
The project is open to individuals with current or past work experience in the IT and telecommunications sector, including IT positions in other sectors. Since the project is financed from public funds, it is necessary to apply for registration in the register of job seekers at the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic. The application can be submitted online during registration. The applicant does not have any obligations arising from the registration, but may request additional services of the state, e.g. a contribution to further education. This is a person who is working but is considering a career change or wants to further develop their work skills. Jobseekers (unemployed), registered with the Labour Office can also participate in the project. Further information and procedure can be found at www.digitalnyradca.sk.
Source: European Digital Skills & Jobs Platform