The Digital Coalition organised an already traditional autumn conference entitled SLOVAK DIGITAL COALITION SUMMIT 2024, the main idea of which was ‘From Talent to Excellence’. The event took place on 19 November 2024 at the Sheraton Hotel in Bratislava with the participation of members of the Digital Coalition, the professional public and state officials.
The whole world is fighting for who will be successful in acquiring the most valuable human capital. More than a hundred representatives from the members of the Digital Coalition discussed how Slovakia is leading in this fight with experts and representatives of the state. Countries that master the challenges and opportunities of discovering, developing and retaining talent will be well ahead of those who lose their talent or do not make sufficient use of their own.
In the introduction, the President of the Digital Coalition Mário Lelovský drew attention to the development and importance of talent. “Let’s develop talent for excellence for Slovakia’s sustainable future. Slovakia has a lot of talents that we need to discover, develop and keep at home. Defining the right strategy and quickly deploying realistic solutions for the development of domestic talent is a common challenge that aims to exploit its potential for building a sustainable and competitive future for Slovakia in the digital age”.
Talent can be defined in two ways, namely as an extraordinary talent for something specific, and therefore the ability to excel above others in a certain scientific, sporting, artistic or other discipline, where, according to generally applicable laws, this applies to about two percent of the population, or as strengths, talents or talents that can be found in every person.
Both approaches are very important and the subject of expert discussion was also to define which one is more important for the country and which will bring faster or better results for society. The identification of challenges and opportunities in the discovery of talent and the development of the workforce and talents in Slovakia was addressed by experts in two expert blocks.
The panel discussion on “Solutions and strategies for talent development in the digital era” was attended by national representatives of key departments. State Secretary Alena Sabelová, Deputy Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, State Secretaries Ivančin for the Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatisation of the Slovak Republic, Slavomír Partila for the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic and Marián Valentovič for the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic. The Association of Primary Schools of Slovakia was represented by the President Eva Horníková.
The discussion confirmed that both approaches and the promotion of talents, both highly talented people and strengths, are very important and deserve much more attention from the whole society than before. All participants agreed on the need to invest in the education and training of educators and professionals to better manage the search for and support of young talents and create an environment where they feel valuable and motivated to stay at home. Slovakia has the potential to be a place where talents are not only born, but also remain and fully develop, and it needs a social agreement, i.e. strong support from the government and society as a whole.
“Investing in talent is the best investment a country, but also an individual, can make. Each of us has talent, it’s only a shame if we don’t know about it. Therefore, it is important to discover and develop your talents or strengths. It is also the duty of the country to take care of the extremely gifted, who will return it a hundredfold due to their ability to bring new and innovative procedures and solutions wherever they are required. Also in my scientific work, while exploring the best experiences from countries around the world that are successful in talent policy, I have revealed that success requires very close cooperation between parents, schools, talent experts and employers, and a social understanding of the importance of talent on both levels”, said Mário Lelovský.
Every year, the Digital Coalition joins its ranks. The adoption of the six new members and the signing of the Memorandum will further strengthen the successful cooperation of more than 120 members. “Together, we can create a better, safer and more innovative digital world for the benefit of every citizen and business. Joining forces of all actors is essential to unlock the full potential of digitalisation and technology. I am glad that the coalition is growing and that every new member of the Digital Coalition brings new perspectives and expertise that are invaluable for the development of Slovakia,” stressed Mário Lelovský.
New members of the Digital Coalition are:
Wibo, Slovak Business Agency, HRcomm, Mensa Slovakia, Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Slovakia, Gamo a.s.
Eight members received the important award “DigitalUnit”, which highlights excellence in realising the objectives of the Digital Coalition and supporting Slovakia’s digital transformation:
DEUS – Data Centre for Electronisation of Local Self – Government of Slovakia, KUBO Média, Slovak Telekom, Cybersecurity Competence and Certification Centre, Orange Digital Center, Jozef Murgaš Secondary Industrial School in Banská Bystrica .
The Slovak Digital Coalition Summit 2024 created a space for discussion, from which it emerged that the discovery of talent is only the beginning. Excellence requires long-term work on it and on each of us. It is up to each of us to create an environment where excellence can flourish – whether in our teams, schools, families or communities. The basis of success is cooperation and willingness to share knowledge.
Source: European Digital Skills & Jobs Platform
