Following the testing of digital skills of pupils and students, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic for Investments and Informatization (ODPMII) launched the National Survey of Digital Skills of the Workforce in Slovakia in cooperation with the Digital Coalition (DC). The aim is to help small and medium-sized enterprises start the development of their employees’ digital skills.
“We are witnessing rapid technological change, which is why it is essential for every employee to know and use digital skills effectively in practice and in every industry. That is also why it is necessary to actively raise public awareness of educational opportunities, job vacancies, and other opportunities available to people through the use of e-skills,” said Deputy Prime Minister Richard Raši.
The chairman of DC Executive Committee Mario Lelovsky considers launching the survey an important step in the field of lifelong learning. “Employers are interested in developing employees’ lifelong learning, but first they need to find out what skills they currently have and what needs to be improved. Through the survey we also want to verify what skills the employees really have and compare it to what they should know,” said M. Lelovsky.
Employers of small and medium-sized enterprises who need to identify the key digital skills of their employees can still participate in the survey. Final data collection will last until 30 September.
The survey questionnaire, which employees have 20 minutes to complete, focuses on five thematic areas – the use of technology, the status of general digital skills of employees, availability of technology skills in the labour market, availability of innovative and soft skills in the labour market, and the current and planned employers development activities skills. Results will be sent to each respondent, comparing employees’ skill levels by region and industry with European and local standards.
Based on the acquired knowledge, a series of complementary group interviews will be conducted with selected representatives of Slovak small and medium-sized enterprises from different regions. The resulting discussion will help adjust support mechanisms for further development of employees’ digital skills. The results of the survey, together with development initiatives, will be presented in the first quarter of next year.
