DC4WORK: Work Based Learning in a digital age – Promoting digital competences for better employability and innovation
Summary
The EU requests member states to equip their citizens with the necessary digital competences to strengthen their employability and competitiveness in general. Statistics suggest that 37 % of the EU workforce have insufficient digital skills and13 % assessed as having none at all (Digital Scoreboard EC for 2015). And even if employees are already familiar with digital devices and applications due to private use it does not mean that they can apply those appropriately at work. Companies demand other or further vocational, digital skills, namely related to handling (big) data, data protection or digital marketing. As we identified a gap between privately acquired and vocationally required digital skills across Europe we see a strong need to carry out his project transnationally. We apply the “DigComp” assessment tool to analyze the supply and demand of digital competences of staff in SMEs exemplified by the two sectors commerce and trade.
We will document our findings in a recommendation for action for relevant SMEs. Competences must be acquired and trained. For this reason, our recommendations will also include issues of teaching and learning directly at the workplace. While doing their job people mostly learn informally, e.g. exchanging knowledge and experiences with colleagues or studying a topic on their own (self-directed learning) – often supported by digital means. These forms of work-based-learning require a supportive environment and an embedding in the companies’ corporate culture. We intend to support SMEs on their way to promote the development of informal digital competences of their staff and to include digital “learning” at the workplace proactively.
Therefore, we will create training guidelines and an online toolbox targeted to digital competence promoters in SMEs. It will enable them to develop strategies to sensitive their SME for the training demands in a digital age but also support digital up-skilling of employees by assessing digital competences as well as advising on appropriate training pathways. The promoter takes on an interface role as he knows about existing digital applications and new ways of learning and can match those with the SMEs needs and resources. The promoter is an “expert” for a “work-based learning 4.0 strategy” in the companies. The targeted SMEs will receive an important impetus for their digital change process which can only be successful with digital competent staff. We will make strong use of the positive, promotive perception of digital competences and their importance for employees but also trainees in society and on a political level.
Therefore, we will build synergies with other regional and national initiatives such as conferences, projects and events on the topic of digital competence training and adapting to the digital age in general. Other than bigger companies SMEs are often driven by daily business thus lacking time and resources to strategically deal with digital challenges. Having the future digital developments in mind we intend to establish and spread a feasible, appealing training WBL 4.0 for an employee who is equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to accompany his companies’ digital transformation. Successful digital transformation 4.0 needs well-trained employees 4.0 with high digital literacy.
Coordinator
IHK – Projektgesellschaft MBH – www.ihk-projekt.de
Partners
MENTORTEC SERVICOS DE APOIO A PROJECTOS TECNOLOGICOS SA Portugal
BFI TIROL BILDUNGS GMBH, Austria
EUROPEAN FORUM OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING, Belgium
HAMEEN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY, Finland
Duration: 1.10.2017 – 30.09.2019
Website: www.dc4work.eu
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