News about Digital Skills

Digital technologies create new opportunities for businesses and other organisations. They allow them to develop new products, reach more customers, improve efficiency and competitiveness. In fact, 90% of jobs today require at least basic digital skills and there are over 350,000 open vacancies for ICT specialists in the EU. To help improve students' advanced digital skills and their career prospects as well as to provide companies with digitally competent job candidates, the Commission has launched the Digital Opportunity Traineeships initiative.

Today the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition celebrates its 100th pledge aimed at bringing digital skills to Europeans. Since the launch in December 2016, organisations, government bodies and businesses who are members of the Coalition provided more than 3.7 million online or face-to-face trainings, one million certificates and 9,000 job placements and internships. Over a million citizens became more aware of the importance of digital skills for employability, competitiveness and participation in society through various organised activities.

Through the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, the European Commission invites companies and other organisations to make commitments to upskill workers and employees across all sectors of the economy – e.g. banks, health care, manufacturing, transport, teaching, farming, etc.

The Digital Opportunity Traineeships – an EU-funded training initiative – aims to help companies fill vacancies with digitally competent candidates.

The Digital Opportunity Traineeships – an EU-funded training initiative – aims to help companies fill vacancies with digitally competent candidates

Did you know that 38% of companies found that the lack of digital skills of their employees impacts their performance? Do you want to help create the talent of tomorrow?

On the occasion of the International Women's Day today, Commissioner Mariya Gabriel in charge of Digital Economy and Society outlined her strategy to implement actions that will facilitate an increase in the participation of women in the digital sector. The actions will focus on three main areas: challenging stereotypes; promoting digital skills and education and advocating for more women entrepreneurs.

Digital skills are required in all types of work, also for jobs outside the office such as teaching, healthcare or framing. This flyer aims to inspire members, pledgers, or potential actors of the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition to make their own commitment in boosting the digital skills of the labour force.

To follow up on the Gothenburg Summit, the European Commission has today adopted new initiatives to improve key competences and digital skills of European citizens, to promote common values and pupils' awareness of the functioning of the European Union.

At the Internet Governance Forum, European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel and Members of the European Parliament: Michał Boni, Cristian-Silviu Buşoi, Eva Kaili, Tiemo Wölken, Jan Philipp Albrecht, Marisa Matias, Barbara Kappel have signed a common Declaration.