Interesting research results
Preliminary results reveal a gap between the reality and the perception of digital skill needs between employers and new employees
Digital transformation has changed both society and the economy with an ever-deepening impact on everyday life. However, until the COVID-19 pandemic, its impact on education and training was much more limited. The pandemic has demonstrated that having an education and training system which is fit for the digital age is essential.
AdultsOnTheMove! aims to develop and produce method and tools that will help young, unemployed adults understand digital culture and become more digitally competent and attractive in the labor market. The project has collected data from young, unemployed adults and from company owners and leaders in all the partner countries. This has been done by quantitative research to help identify where the level of knowledge is at, what digital skills are desired, what expectations young adults have to new employers and what expectations employers have to newcomers in the labour market.
The preliminary results were as expected in many ways, but also shed light on some interesting facts regarding the knowledge of digital in the labour market.
Based on the results we have discovered that employers and managing personnel have an underwhelming knowledge and understanding of digital culture. This type of knowledge might therefore become a key competence amongst new employees in the future, as EU`s goals of digitalization will start taking effect throughout the labour market. It will be of great value for any business to acquire staff that can actively participate in, or preferably lead, the digital strategy in their company.
It is also clear that the main focus must be on upskilling on the level of basic digital skills, by definition of the OECD’s Skills for the Digital Economy – 2004, with extra focus on Using a PC or a portable computer and Creating a spreadsheet. This conclusion is based on the fact that, not only did the participating management personnel answer that those skills where the most valuable and the skills that new employees have poorest competences in, but furthermore, the young adults do not consider themselves to no be in need of gaining more knowledge or competencies in those areas.
This shows a clear split between the reality and the perception of needs and challenges between the two participating groups. The unemployed young adults seem to overestimate their digital competences and readyness for the labour market compared to the perceived reality of the employers.
The complete research report, with more detailed numbers, analysis, and results will be published on the AdultsOnTheMove! project website later this year.
