#digitalSME4skills campaign is on the right track to reach its target after the first four months of the campaign! Currently, the companies participating in this coordinated action to tackle the lack of digital skills in Europe have pledged to train more than 4.000 professionals by 2019. The result is outstanding considering the campaign had an initial target of 5.000 professionals by 2019.

This initiative is driven by DIGITAL SME as a part of a global action by the Digital Jobs and Skills Coalition. The Coalition is a multi-stakeholder partnership promoted by the European Commission and aims at adapting the emerging digital labour market to the new industrial reality.

DIGITAL SME President, Oliver Grün, who is a member of the Governing Board of the Coalition, welcomed the good progress made by #digitalSME4skills. “ICT Small and Medium-sized companies are key contributors to the digital transformation of European industry. The #digitalSME4skills campaign shows that digital SMEs have an impact not only on the EU economic output but also on training and upskilling labour force“.

“This is a critical moment. The workforce of tomorrow is currently being prepared and digital SMEs have the relevant expertise to pave the way for Europe’s new digital professionals. This kind of measures taken from the European Commission in coordination with SMEs and organisations will help to overcome the digital divide“, added he.

Rising demand

In parallel, the interest in this training program is growing. There is a huge representation of European countries, from Spain to Bulgaria, from Ireland to Greece, including countries such as Germany, Romania or Italy.

Also European associations are helping to reduce the digital skills gap in Europe:

Thank you @EUdigitalsme for the warm welcome. It is good to be in a great company, doing great things like #DIGITALSME4SKILLS https://t.co/x5E3S4i1u4

— ICT Cluster CS (@ict_cs) June 7, 2017

Subscriptions are open for digital SMEs that want to join the European campaign #DigitalSME4Skills and offer work experience schemes. More details on our campaign can be found here.