digital skills: a key factor of economic competitiveness

The “Transforming Europe towards the Digital Age” conference, which was held on 15 December 2015, during Luxembourg’s Presidency of the European Council, drew many European decision-makers and entrepreneurs to Luxembourg.

They pondered the issues of employment and the all-round shortfall of qualified manpower raised by the digital revolution.

In his opening address, Xavier Bettel, the prime minister of Luxembourg, emphasised how important digital skills had become, to the point where they are considered to be one of the key factors of economic competitiveness.

In order to cope with the growing shortage of ICT professionals in Luxembourg – a shortage that affects the whole of Europe – the government has implemented actions to foster the development of digital skills and know-how. These concrete actions, launched as part of the Digital Luxembourg initiative, such as the Digital4Education programme of the Ministry of Education, which aims to prepare young people for the coming digital society, and support for the creation of an ICT skills centre to train employees, are designed to foster growth, innovation and employment.

one movement, many minds