1. Advanced Digital Skills for Industry and SMEs
Advanced Digital Skills for Industry and SMEs 11th COSME Committee meeting
Brussels, 9 October 2018
André Richier
GROW.F2 – Advanced Technologies, Clusters and Social Economy
DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

2. Advanced Digital Skills for Industry and SMEs GRO/SME/19/C/05
The "Skills Agenda for Europe" stresses the importance of digital skills and of sectoral cooperation on skills. The objective of this action is to organise large scale communication and promotion activities in support of the IT profession and the acquisition of relevant digital skills by industry, especially SMEs, in close synergy with the "Blueprint for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills" and the "Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition", two major initiatives of the "Skills Agenda for Europe", as well as the activities of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) on IT professionalism in Europe.

4. Most Difficult to Find IT Skills in Europe
Source: IDC’s Worldwide Skills survey, 2017

5. IT Professionals: Forecast Supply and Demand
Source: IDC and empirica, 2018

6. The Blueprint for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills
A cornerstone of the European Commission’s sectoral strategy for skills development and intelligence
Strategic cooperation between key stakeholders and social partners
Implemented by European partnerships
Four waves of selection of sectors between 2017 and 2020
Pilot implementation of four years
Roll-out at national and regional levels

7. The Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition

8. CEN Technical Committee on Digital Competences and IT Professionalism
CEN/TC 428 is responsible for the standardization of a common language of Professional Digital and IT competences, skills and knowledge applied in all sectors.
European e-Competence Framework - EN 16234:2016 (e-CF) maintenance and evolution
Interaction with different frameworks at international level
Foundational bodies of knowledge
IT Professional profiles and certifications

9. Main Focus of the Action (2020-2022)
Concrete solutions and best practices related to IT professionalism and the needs of industry and SMEs in liaison with the Blueprint;
Promotion of advanced digital skills and IT professionals' jobs, education and training with the organisation of communication activities and events at European, national and regional levels;
Cooperation with EU Presidencies, Member States, the national coalitions of the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, the EEN and the European Standardisation Committee;
Progress towards the recognition of the IT profession in Europe
It will build on the experience of the e-Skills for Jobs campaign ( ) and take into account ongoing and planned Pilot and Preparatory Actions.

10. Further Information
Skills for Industry Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition
Digital competences and ICT Professionalism
Blueprint for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills