Below we provide an overview of EU initiatives and programmes in the field of digital skills and jobs, as well as some relevant news and events:
- The Digital Skills and Jobs Platform is the new home for digital skills in Europe. It provides information on EU and national initiatives and actions supporting digital skills and jobs, training opportunities and support for career development, best practices, expert advice, resources and tools, research-based data, facts and figures, funding opportunities and financial and prosperous instruments.
- The Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) is a key EU funding programme for Europe’s digital transformation. With a total budget of EUR 580 million for digital skills over a seven-year period, strengthens cooperation between EU Member States and stakeholders in the field of digital skills and jobs by:
- Support the development of advanced digital skills for current and future ICT experts in key sectors such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, high performance computing, quantum computing, blockchain, cloud computing, data analytics, etc.
- Supporting the upskilling and reskilling of the workforce in all sectors of the economy to cope with the digital transition.
- Supporting the development of basic digital skills for all citizens to ensure their active participation in society and the economy.
- The Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition is a multi-stakeholder partnership involving Member States, companies, social partners, non-profit organisations and education providers. It aims to help meet the high demand for digital skills in Europe, which are essential for today’s labour market and society. Coalition members can commit to taking measures to boost digital skills in Europe, such as providing training, certifying skills, improving curricula, raising awareness, etc.
- National Digital Skills & Jobs Coalitions are national partnerships that bring together different actors from public authorities, businesses, education, training and the labour market, working together to develop a common strategy to improve digital skills in their country. There are currently 28 national coalitions across Europe sharing their stories, best practices and challenges on the platform.
- The European Digital Skills Awards are an annual recognition of initiatives that have improved Europeans’ digital skills at school, at work or in society at large. The awards present projects that have been successful in attracting more people to ICT careers or education, developing advanced digital skills for ICT professionals or other workers, improving basic digital skills for all citizens, or promoting women’s participation in ICT. Applications for the 2023 edition are now open until 15 November 2023.
Some of the latest news and events related to digital skills and jobs are:
- 2023 Report on the State of the Digital Decade (State of the Digital Decade Report 2023) was published by the European Commission on 28 September 2023. It provides a comprehensive assessment of the EU’s progress towards a successful digital transformation by 2030, based on a set of indicators covering connectivity, skills, public services, the data economy and society. The report also identifies key challenges and opportunities to achieve the goals of the Digital Decade.
- The EU Code Week 2023 took place from 9 to 24 October 2023. It was a core initiative that celebrated creativity, problem solving and collaboration through programming and other technological activities. The goal was to make programming more visible, to show young people how to bring ideas to life with the help of code, to demystify these skills, and to bring motivated people to learn. More than 40 thousand events were organised throughout Europe and not only during Code Week.
- DigiEduHack 2023 will take place from 6 to 13 November 2023. It is a global hackathon that brings together thousands of innovators, educators and learners from all over the world to create together solutions for the future of education in the digital age. Participants can join online or offline challenges hosted by different organisations on topics such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, gamification, etc. The best teams will compete for EUR 5000 prizes in a global prize competition.
- European Vocational Skills Week 2023 took place from 23 to 27 October 2023. It is an annual event that showcases excellence in vocational education and training (VET) across Europe. It aims to raise awareness of the benefits of VET for learners, employers and society at large. This year’s theme is “VET for green and digital transitions”, highlighting how VET can equip people with the skills they need for a sustainable future.
Source: European Digital Skills & Jobs Platform
