Digital Skills

Definition

​Digital skills are defined as the ability to find, evaluate, use, share, and create content using digital devices, such as computers and smartphones. These days, the digital skills required in the workplace are a bit more advanced, and companies expect the vast majority of their employees to have them, not just a select few. Technology is at the center of our lives, and as our dependence on the internet and digital communications increases, our workforce must keep up with the evolving skill demand. The United Nations (UN) agency responsible for global measurement of the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), defines digital skills for the global population in terms of their putative outcomes: ‘the ability to use ICTs in ways that help individuals to achieve beneficial, high-quality outcomes in everyday life for themselves and others’ and that ‘reduce the potential harm associated with more negative aspects of digital engagement’ (ITU, 2018: 23). In this, it serves the multiple and diverse interests of its members (most countries and many public and private sector stakeholders) who seek to thrive and compete in the digital age, including delivering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).​

Explore the Resources of this Driver

DigComp 2.2: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens

Digital Competence Framework for Citizen (DigComp) provides a common understanding of what digital competence is, providing over 250 new examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes that help citizens engage confidently, critically and safely with digital technologies, and new and emerging ones such as systems driven by artificial intelligence (AI). ​

Reference

Test your digital skills​

This tool tests digital skills and provides access to training opportunities appropriate for one’s needs. The tool can also support to get a good understanding of one’s current digital competences (based on the established European Digital Competence Framework - DigComp 2.0), which is the starting point to identify what can be done next to improve them, depending on one’s needs and aspirations.​

Europass courses​

The Europass profile can help people to plan their learning and career development. The profile can be used by organisations – employers, volunteer organisations, recruiters, guidance practitioners, youth organisations, education and training institutions and more – as part of the support and services they offer to people.​

Methodology

Big Data and Skills Frameworks to Determine Recommended Profiled of Soft Skills for IS Development​

This work presents a new approach which exploits existing reference models like ESCO, e-CF and NCSF (NCS Framework) as basis to analyse big datasets offered by tools like the ESCO database with thousands of relations between occupations and skills and the Ovate tool with millions of online vacancies. The combination of information from job market with the opinion of experts from ESCO provides a stronger basis for recommended NCS profiles for ISD professional roles, a promising option for an aspect not extensively explored.​

Case Study