In 2022, under the responsibility of INCoDe.2030, the Digital Coalition – Digital Skills and Jobs was introduced to the Portuguese Coalition for Digital Employability – based on the premise that the ongoing digitalisation of the economy and society calls for collaboration between all public and private entities, without leaving anyone behind.
Making the most out of the digital transition
In Europe, just 57% of the population has the basic digital skills required for the digital world we live in. One in every six Europeans lacks digital skills altogether. At the same time, there are over 400,000 vacancies for ICT specialists in the EU, and over a third of companies report a lack of digital skills. In Portugal, only 29% of the Portuguese have digital skills above the basic level.
The Digital Skills and Jobs Platform in Portugal was created knowing that today, more than ever, there is an opportunity at hand to take advantage of the digital transition and its fast-paced nature, and reap the full benefits the single digital market in Europe can provide. Only in this way, will we achieve a common European competitiveness and a truly inclusive digital society.
“Portugal is a country full of talent, but we must find ways to make better use of it. We started this journey with very clear objectives: to guarantee access to digital technologies for the entire population, promoting basic digital skills; for those who already have these skills, to improve them through upskilling; to modernize education and training systems; retrain, when possible, for ICT employment through reskilling; and to train qualified specialists to fill the increasing number of job vacancies in all sectors of the economy”.
Working towards digital skills: tacking stock of Portugal’s success
We knew from the start that these were ambitious goals that required the effort and work of many. Indeed, many have come together to meet this great challenge of promoting digital skills in Portugal and fostering greater employability in this sector.
Today, the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform in Portugal can show significant results: with 58 entities, 127 training actions published, 44 initiatives, and 46 events held.
“Initiatives like the Rampa Digital (Digital Ramp), where we provide free diagnostics to micro and small businesses to understand which technologies and tools would best help improve their work, fill us with pride. EUSOUDIGITAL (I AM DIGITAL), on the other hand, gets young people to teach adults and seniors to send emails or create a social media account. And UPSKILL – Digital Skills and Jobs, another excellent example, aims to convert, by 2023, 3.000 active and unemployed workers into ICT professionals.”
And because Portugal, like Europe, continues to show significant gender inequalities in terms of skills and access to digital, and participation in professions in technological areas, we are also proud of programs like Engenheiras por um dia (Engineers for a Day), which inspire young girls with challenges, study visits, mentoring actions, and workshops, to pursue a career in technology or engineering.
We are also conducting, in partnership with Deloitte, a more comprehensive survey across the country of digital capacity-building initiatives. By the end of the year, we will add even more useful information to the Portuguese Digital Skills and Jobs Platform to further support a true digital transition throughout the country.
“Aware of the tremendous work done so far, we want more. We recognise that as we prepare the country and Europe for the future, we must prepare those who live in it to adapt and keep pace with this digitalisation process.”
On this second anniversary of the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform, we invite all Portuguese to visit the portal digitalcoalition.pt and get to know the fantastic opportunities it offers, which we want to reach more and more people. From job offers, digital skills diagnostics, to more or less specialised training and initiatives across the country to better cope with digital – there are opportunities for everyone.
The more we take advantage of them, the better prepared we will be for the present, and the future.
About the author
Luisa Ribeiro Lopes is Chairman of the .PT Board of Directors, the entity responsible for the management of the national top-level domain, .pt, and General Coordinator of the National Digital Competences Initiative e.2030, INCoDe.2030. Luisa is also a member of the National Board of DECO.
Graduated in Law by the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon, PhD student in Gender Studies by the University of Lisbon, Luisa integrated several national and international groups for the development of the Information Society, such as the Azores project: Digital Region, the Mission for the Information Society and APDSI. Luisa is a member of the Strategic Council of ACEPI and a member of the Executive Committee of MUDA – Movement for Active Digital Use.
© okcm/Shutterstock.com