The importance of digital skills in job finding

Living in such a transformative world has left us in a constant need for digital upgrading. As digital technology continues to change rapidly, readiness to adapt accordingly and stay competitive in such an environment has never been of bigger importance. According to UNESCO, digital skills are best described as “the ability to use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage information” (Digital Skills Critical for Jobs and Social Inclusion, 2018). These skills that help us better organize information, processes, and communication are playing a significant role in today’s employability, primarily because of their ability to be easily transferred (Adams, 2022). 

Regardless of the increasing use and understanding of technology, there is still a large hole left to be filled out by digitally competent labor. According to research conducted in 2017, 35% of both employed and unemployed labor in Europe lacked even basic digital skills (DESI, 2018), generating a massive concern for their long-term employability. Nowadays, when finding a job online, workers are expected to be confident in their use of the internet on various devices, communication via email and social media, using tools for working remotely, searching for information online, etc. This proves to show that the labor market is in high demand of a digitally competent and literate workforce, as even the jobs with lower levels of qualification require basic digital skills. Being friendly with the internet and communicating online not only improves our daily lives but is opening the doors for many career opportunities that are on the horizon.  In order to help workers recognize this, effective education and training systems need to be put in place to provide effective solutions that will enable employees to compete better in the expanding market.  

The MENTORING CHANGE – Reverse Mentoring for Improving E-skills Adults for Digital Competences project aims to train mentors on how to understand an individual’s soft skills, job preferences, and learning styles, and to educate them on digital competencies in an engaging and innovative way. The objective is to provide a helping hand in creating upskilling pathways for adult employees and improve their take-up by increasing their proficiency in articulating their digital competencies. By delivering guidelines and training material for career-focused mentoring of adult mentors, this project hopes to establish personalized mentee relationships with the help of innovative, attractive, and practical high-quality methodology. By the end of the project, its participants will develop and improve their digital skills, their soft skills and will be able to find a job easier, since their competitiveness in the labor market will be increased.  

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