5 Years of DSJP: how far has the platform come in advancing digital skills development?

The Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (DSJP) started its journey five years ago with the goal of becoming a one-stop-shop for the latest information and updates on digital skills, jobs, and technology in Europe, as well as the home for the diverse and growing digital skills and jobs community.  

Since then, the Platform has grown into a central hub for information on digital skills in the EU and its Member States and a gateway to over 500 trainings in digital technologies and competencies, facilitating collaboration between different actors in the digital sphere and European citizens and driving digital skills development forward. 

This anniversary is a celebration for the organisations, educators, and professionals who have used DSJP to connect and share their work. In this article we will hear testimonials from some of the organisational key stakeholders. 

Building Europe's digital skills ecosystem through collaboration

Over the years, Digital Skills and Jobs Platform has positioned itself as a driving force in Europe's digital skills ecosystem, supporting the objectives of the Digital Europe Programme of the European Union, and guiding organisations in launching actions aimed at closing the digital skills gap. In today’s rapidly-evolving digital world, the Platform provides strategic direction to stakeholders and makes transnational collaboration more straightforward and effective.   

' DSJP has done a terrific job at guiding the efforts of our organisation and our transnational peers towards the big goal. In such a fast-moving context, it’s not common nor easy keeping our eyes on the north star. DJSP is a key component of the north star that guides all organisations in Europe working towards closing the digital skills gap.  

If it wasn´t for DSJP, it would have been very time consuming and difficult to find partners across Europe to build transnational consortiums able to operate the programs that the EU demands.

It is more and more clear that Europe’s future comes through building sovereign assets and regional capabilities in strategic spaces as digital and AI technologies. What DSJP has built through these years is a great starting point to facilitate building transnational connections and platforms, something easy to say but challenging to become a reality.’ 

Creating pathways to cybersecurity skills development

The Cybersecurity Skills Academy, hosted by the Digital Skills & Jobs Platform, has succeeded in achieving measurable results, and expanding access to cybersecurity training, certifications and partnerships across Europe. 

'The DSJP gives the Cybersecurity Skills Academy a central, EU-wide home where pledges, partnerships and learning opportunities become visible to citizens, employers and Member States alike. For ISC2, it has been the channel through which over 62,000 EU residents have registered for our Certified in Cybersecurity.

The Cybersecurity Skills Academy turns the DSJP's ambition into measurable outcomes. Through ISC2's two pledges, nearly 7,900 EU residents have already passed the Certified in Cybersecurity exam. Twenty-five 'Pathway to Certification' scholarships for women launch this June, with more than 1,100 EU candidates already qualifying for selection.

Through the Industry-Academia Network, ISC2 signed five partnerships with Compendium Centrum Edukacyjne (Poland), Universitat de Girona (Spain), OpenClassrooms (France), CodeAcademy (Lithuania) and CS VISOR (Germany), with a combined commitment to offer Certified in Cybersecurity to over 2,000 students and career-changers across Europe. The Network is now actively generating further partnerships and recognition.' 

Strengthening digital skills across Europe

A core achievement of the Digital Skills & Jobs Platform is strengthening the European digital skills ecosystem. By bringing together policymakers, education providers, industry, National Coalitions and civil society, the Platform has succeeded in establishing itself as a central hub for sharing knowledge, scaling successful initiatives and connecting national efforts with European priorities. 

‘DSJP provides high-quality, accessible content and tools that empower people and organisations to succeed in the digital transition. Consulted by ministries of education and other policymakers at national, regional, and local levels, the Digital Skills and Job Platform supports European countries in adapting their education systems to reduce the digital skills gap by providing inspiring knowledge, best practices, and projects that invest in students' digital skills and schools' capacities and empower educators.  

Using country pages and sectoral academies, the Platform helps governments to connect national initiatives with regional ecosystems, training providers (particularly projects funded by the Digital Europe Programme), funding opportunities, coalitions, and exemplary practices.  

Over the years, thanks to the content provided by its 22 National Coalitions, the Platform has offered visibility to pioneering digital national initiatives adopted by some member states. These initiatives have inspired others to help their school systems to provide all learners with the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills they need to successfully navigate an ever-evolving digital world. The Platform also helps Europe’s educators, prioritising continuous training opportunities and resources that help school leaders and pre- and in-service teachers, among other professionals, to feel confident in using new technologies.  

Finally, through its European Digital Skills Awards, the DSJP recognises and shows the positive impact that European organisations and businesses can have, equipping citizens with the skills of tomorrow.’ 

Through high-quality resources, training opportunities and cross-border collaboration, it continues to strengthen Europe's digital talent pipeline and support the skills needed for emerging technologies such as AI, cybersecurity and cloud computing.

'At a time when Europe is investing heavily in strategic technologies, we must invest with equal ambition in the people who will develop, deploy and scale them.  

The Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition's Pledges initiative is a powerful example of how industry is stepping up to meet this challenge. Many DIGITALEUROPE members have committed to actions ranging from cybersecurity training and workforce upskilling to digital inclusion and talent development in emerging technologies.  

These pledges demonstrate that industry is not only identifying Europe's skills challenges but actively investing in solutions. They show that businesses recognise talent as a strategic asset for Europe's future competitiveness, innovation and growth.  

The value of the Platform goes well beyond individual commitments. Through the National Coalitions network, organisations have been able to connect with partners across Europe, exchange best practices and replicate successful initiatives beyond national borders. Training opportunities and the growing network of Digital Skills Academies further help connect skills initiatives with the people, sectors and communities that need them most.’

After five years, the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform sheds some light into the vast space that opens up when collaboration works, and how much can actually be achieved. Today, it brings together over 20,000 community members and hosts more than 3,654 published content items, including over 455 training offers, 339 good practices, and 212 digital skills resources, while attracting between 70,000 and 280,000 views per month.

By bringing together people, organisations and ideas from across Europe, the Platform continues to turn digital skills policy on national and EU into easy-to-understand, bite-sized chunks of information, making training and funding opportunities more visible and accessible to all. 

DSJP user perspectives

These testimonials from DSJP users highlight the platform’s transformative impact on collaboration, innovation, and digital transformation for some of our key organisational stakeholders.

In this series, we also hear the perspectives of Digital Europe Programme (DEP)-funded project users and National Coalitions about how the DSJP supports their unique goals and challenges.

Working on a digital skills initiative? Join the DSJP – helping projects increase their visibility, build partnerships, and amplify their impact for the last 5 years and into the future.

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