Episode 1: Let’s bring basic skills back in the European Year of Skills

On June 7th, we will launch the first episode of our Digital Inclusion event series: Back to Basics.

This year has been declared the European Year of Skills by the European Commission, which aims to encourage the upskilling and reskilling of individuals to ensure that the European workforce aligns with the labour market needs and contributes to sustainable growth, innovation and competitiveness. However relevant, this human capital perspective leaves behind those individuals who start with no basic skills, a group that is too often left out of policy considerations.

The Digital Collective calls for prioritizing basic skills, with an integrated approach that includes basic digital skills. Addressing basic skills needs to be a prerequisite for this European Year of Skills. We cannot close the skills gap the European Year of Skills is addressing without tackling first and foremost individuals with low skills. In the same way, we cannot close the digital divide without addressing low digital skills.  For this, we advocate for a return of  basic skills at the heart of the European Skills Agenda. This will be the true skills revolution that will bring more equity and inclusion in the digital society, ensuring no one is left behind. 

In this event, we position basic skills at the front of the European Skills Agenda and, through this, we highlight the culture of inclusion and lifelong learning needed in this important year and the ones to come. We will also dive into the potential that technology such as AI has to bridge the skills and digital divides. For that to happen, basic skills need to be integrated into the development of skills frameworks and regulations that address the impact of current technological advancements.