The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) has published an article summarising the current needs and trends of digital skills in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic the digitalisation processes have sped up in most sectors, including those where digital skills were previously not a necessity, such as food and accommodation, wholesale and retail trade or arts and recreation. Cedefop has analysed a vast amount of recruitment data to determine which digital skills are most in demand. According to their research, approximately one in five skills demanded in the job ads is a digital competence. The skill most in demand is knowledge of office applications, followed closely by computer programming.
The article also demonstrates the digital divide across Europe and highlights the importance of policy-makers’ decisions in these times, such as formulating clearer and more comprehensive policies for training teachers and addressing the digital skills gaps of other adult citizens.
Read more on the Cedefop website.