Latvia
In the 2022 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), Latvia ranks 18th in Human Capital out of 27 EU Member States, scoring 44.1. The country's digital skills closely align with the EU average, with 51% possessing basic skills and 24% having above-basic skills. While 3.8% of employees are ICT specialists, companies face challenges filling digital expert vacancies. Nonetheless, Latvia excels with 4.6% of ICT graduates and 23% women in its ICT specialist workforce.
In line with the 2021-2027 Digital Transformation guidelines, the Latvian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development prioritizes digital skills development to achieve Digital Decade targets. The eSkills Partnership, founded in 2013 and co-led by LIKTA and the Ministry, serves as a platform for stakeholders to collaborate on digital skills goals. The current version “Latvian Cybersecurity Strategy 2023-2026” was adopted in March 2023 and have dedicated pillar for education and research and activities for digital and cybersecurity skills' development at all levels.
Current priorities of the Latvian National Coalition include upskilling the labour force, aiding SMEs in digital transformation with the National Industrial Policy Guidelines 2021-2027 and integrating digital technology in education as stated in the “Latvian Education Development Guidelines 2021-2027. Moreover, boosting the number of ICT specialists and advancing digital skills for all citizens is a paramount concern.
The country has set national strategies, to achieve goals such as 70% of citizens with basic digital skills by 2027. Additionally, initiatives that focus on promoting digital skills and transformation, and to engage women in digital careers.