05 Jul 2024

The Download: Closing the digital skills gap

In this edition of ‘The Download’: the persistent digital skills gap that threatens Europe’s future as a digital powerhouse, as well as our economic and physical security. Over 60% of EU enterprises struggle to fill ICT specialist roles. This slows the adoption of AI, big data, and cloud, and will put Europe further behind in the global technology race. 

Our manifesto sets ambitious targets by 2030 to train at least 300,000 cybersecurity specialists and boost digital literacy amongst citizens and businesses to 90% of the population. Advanced skills policy should be focused on those critical technologies that will guarantee our economic security, like AI, advanced semiconductors, biotech, and quantum. 

Europe has a strong academic foundation, but achieving these goals will demand unprecedented public-private cooperation, a coherent plan at the EU level supported by data, and a boldness to change the way we teach our children and students.  

Labour mobility will be key. We propose a Digital Skills Passport to bring together all types of qualifications in a single interoperable format. Referring to Mr. Letta’s Single Market report,2 we believe freedom to move and stay in the EU are complementary if we can keep up with opportunities offered by digitalisation and the possibilities of remote work. 

 

Download the full edition
For more information, please contact
Vincenzo Renda
Director for Single Market & Digital Competitiveness
Martina Piazza
Manager for Investments & Innovation
Back to Society & Skills
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Our resources on Society & Skills
26 Sep 2024 Position Paper
Future directions for accelerating digital skills uptake across Europe
17 Apr 2024 Publication & Brochure
Multimodal solutions to foster accessibility in digital products and services: The DIGITALEUROPE study for the European Accessibility Resource Centre
30 Mar 2023 Policy Paper
Towards more effective and coherent electronic identification in Europe
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