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At 61.1 years, the average age of older employees in information and communications technology (ICT) is comparatively low. This is the conclusion of a recent study by digitalswitzerland on mobilising the potential of skilled workforce.
Even before the regular retirement age is reached, valuable workforce potential is lost – this must be prevented in view of the high shortage of skilled workers in ICT. The study shows measures that companies and policymakers can take to keep skilled professionals in the workforce longer.
The NextGen Hero award category at the Digital Economy Awards honours exceptional talents under 25 years of age. These personalities show the inspirational potential of the young generation to actively shape the digital future of Switzerland.
The category was launched last year, through a collaboration between swissICT and digitalswitzlerland. One of the key elements to the NextGen Hero award is to inspire young people to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics to secure Switzerland’s role as a leading digital hub. Candidates can apply online themselves, or can be nominated. There is the choice to send a short written recommendation, or a 90-second video in German, French or English. Participation is free of charge and applications are open until July 30.
Adding further excitement to the awards celebrations this year, NextGen Hero is integrated into the Digital Economy Gala Night, with winners announced at the Hallenstadion in Zurich on 11 November 2021, as the closing event of Digital Day.
David Yenicelik, Co-Founder of SkillLab and Chloé Carrière, a Management of Technology and Entrepreneurship student at the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne and host of The Galactic Chloé Show were crowned the winners at last year’s Digital Day.
David Yenicelik
Before SkillLab, David Yenicelik was a key member of Swissloop, which made it into the top three at Elon Musk’s International Hyperloop Pod Competition twice. At SkillLab, he uses deep tech, including artificial intelligence and machine learning to benefit society. His team works to empower people to progress their careers by uncovering hidden skills. We asked David how the company is continuing to innovate and about changes to the digital landscape.
“The rapid digitization of society triggers tectonic shifts in labour markets. An inclusive economic recovery is crucial to empower people to acquire digital skills and find new pathways to employment.”
For David, this mission pushes SkillLab to connect people to the training and education that closes their personal skill gap to a job. He concludes that the Digital Economy Award accelerates such projects at large, not only as a quick and scalable response to the novel environment created through pandemic, but also to societal issues at large long thereafter.
Chloé Carrière
It has been another year of pushing boundaries for Chloé Carrière. Describing herself as a ‘space leader’, Chloé combines her passion for astronomy and incorporates multiple disciplines and science formats, such as physics, ICT and maths into engaging activities that make science accessible.
In her opinion, digital trends challenge us to innovate and develop new opportunities. With the Galactic Chloé Show, she wishes to welcome more guests from the scientific community and develop her journalistic skills. Chloé has also been busy with new innovations since winning last November.
“We will propose a new virtual SciComm tool to be presented at the Japanese Olympic Games and the Dubai Universal Exposition. We are very excited to present this new digital project to the world!”
Chloé is also the creator of the EPFL student association Space@yourService, which is currently working on ‘Mission Asclepios’, a simulated analogue student-led space mission on another celestial body, due to take place this summer. Chloé wishes to be one of the first women to step on the moon and to contribute to the future of space exploration.
The task of choosing the NexGen Heroes is no mean feat and the awards rely on the expertise of jury members who spot the considerable achievements and unique contributions of nominees. Here is a snapshot of what made Chloé and David stand out.
Danièle Castle, Senior Director Education & Skilled Workforce at digitalswitzerland was a member of the jury in 2020. She tells us what she was looking for when she evaluated entries last year.
This year, both Chloé and David will join the jury panel and have a say in who takes home the coveted prize. Who better than these two inspirational digital leaders to choose the most deserving winners of 2021? Joining Chloé, and David on the jury is Chair, Dominik Grolimund, serial entrepreneur and board member of swissICT, Ulrike Liebert, Head of the swissICT Smart Generations Expert Group and Kathrin Theurillat, Director Education & Skilled Workforce digitalswitzerland.
All that’s left to do now is to help us find this year’s NextGen Heroes. Submit an entry here and shine a light on the young people who are paving the way for Switzerland’s digital future.
If you are interested in the other award categories, read this blog for a brief overview. And if you still have questions, take the opportunity to get expert advice on your Digital Economy Award application for free. Book your 15-minute, no-obligation consultation with Christian Hunziker, Managing Director of swissICT and Head of the Jury Process at the Digital Economy Award.
You can also sign up to the next swissICT application webinar briefing on 26 May on how to prepare the best application possible. We wish all applicants the very best of luck!
The Boost Programme started as a pilot in 2020, allowing around 100 participants to apply and benefit from co-financing for training courses in the field of digital skills. In the second part of this blog series, we take a look back on the impact of the programme for employers and candidates.
The aim of the #LifelongLearning Initiative, of which the Boost Programme is a vital part, is to make the Swiss population aware of the urgency to pursue lifelong learning, particularly in view of the increasing digitalisation of the world. It is important to take all people, young and old, along the path of digital transformation and to achieve full employment in the years to come.
To address the working population, the Initiative focused on diversity (age, gender, languages, regions, job descriptions, educational qualifications, industries, etc.). It contributed to both maintaining the competitiveness of Switzerland as a business location, and to supporting a future full of opportunities for Swiss employees. This included small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to large companies.
The Boost Programme aimed to build on the solid foundations of the #LifelongLearning initiative and to support Swiss employees and employers by co-financing short, concrete training courses in the field of digital skills. To this end, a partnership with the Hirschmann Foundation and the Gebert Rüf Foundation was built for 2020 and in 2021/2022 with UBS.
Employees of organisations which signed the #LifelongLearning initiative’s pledge, as well as Swiss SMEs and Swiss independent workers were also included, to support digital upskilling and reskilling during the COVID-19 crisis.
With the co-financing of the Boost Programme, we created an incentive for people to access lifelong learning for a value of five times the amount of co-financing that the programme invested. 56% of applicants were men and 44% women, across all age groups. By far the most applications for co-financing came from the smallest of businesses. 45% of employers supported upskilling with cash out and/or training during working hours, whereas 55% of employees invested more than the employer did.
One third of participants would not have engaged in lifelong learning within the next 6 months without the co-financing provided by Boost.
A survey of Boost participants showed that employees would like employers to provide more time for lifelong learning during working hours. The survey also indicates that beneficiaries were very happy with the programme and its co-financing mechanism. Importantly, one third of participants would not have engaged in lifelong learning within the next 6 months without the co-financing provided by Boost.
This activating effect was impactful since two thirds of all survey participants said they expect their training to have a significant positive effect on their work life and career i.e. a higher chance for a promotion or the ability to enter a new (digital) industry. Thanks to these positive, motivating experiences and the easy sign-up process, all participants either recommended the programme to friends, family and colleagues or would do so in future.
The Boost Programme started as a pilot in 2020, allowing around 100 participants to apply and benefit from co-financing.
Programme beneficiaries engaged in training, ranging from upskilling in the field of cyber security, digital user experience design and digital marketing to AI-based business models, project management for digital products, data-driven fundraising for NGOs, digital ethics and more.
Another noteworthy finding from the Boost survey is the fact that none of the survey participants were able to name another, comparable support programme for lifelong learning even though other offerings exist. The survey suggests that the simple, easy and transparent process of the Boost Programme was one element why beneficiaries appreciated the programme and recommended it to others, leading to more engagement in lifelong learning and digital upskilling.
Supported by UBS, the focus of the Boost Programme for 2021 and 2022 complements the previous proven programme for general digital upskilling. A new focus is to attract candidates from the low-skilled workforce to learn digital skills and basic competences. Research from SBFI indicates that the lower-qualified workforce is less likely to engage in lifelong learning compared to other populations. The Boost Programme is committed to improving this situation.
Sign up here until September 2022: lifelonglearning.ch.
Read our first blog post on application criteria and what to expect here.
Do you have goal to learn basic and more advanced digital skills? Are you keen to remain competent in your job role as rapid digitalisation continues to transforms our lives? The Boost Programme “Your opportunity to remain competent” offers Swiss workers the opportunity to acquire digital skills and basic competences through conditional co-financing.
We believe that to strengthen the opportunity of career progression and future success, Swiss workers must have a basic level of digital competences within their grasp. That is why the digitalswitzerland Boost Programme 2021 and 2022, with the support of UBS, will scale up to create more impact and upskill even more workers.
The programme for the next two years will complement the previous proven programme for general digital upskilling. A new second track will focus on attracting candidates from the low-skilled workforce. Data from SBFI suggests that the lower-qualified workforce is less likely to engage in lifelong learning compared to other populations. We hope to double the percentage of people (from approximately 30% to 60%) who gain new skills as a direct result of engagement with the Boost Programme.
It is imperative for Swiss workers to become proficient in digital skills to compete within Switzerland and on the global stage. If workers become stagnant in their knowledge base and in digital skills, they risk becoming locked into roles. The result is that career progression can be extremely difficult, if not impossible. There is an added risk of job loss as digitalisation, automation and new technologies continue to shape our lives and replace job roles. This is why the main focus for the Boost programme during 2021 and 2022 will be on the provision of basic digital skills. This complementary focus is appropriate for the following reasons:
If you are interested in the Boost programme, visit lifelonglearning. Entrants can fill out an online application form, with the application phase will run until September 2022.
To continue your exploration of Swiss-wide courses on digital upskilling, visit weiterbildung.swiss. You can also watch a collection of more than 100 video testimonials on lifelonglearning.ch.
For inquiries on The Boost Programme, or our work in Education & Skilled Workforce, please contact Mattia Balsiger, Analyst Education & Skilled Workforce: mattia@digitalswitzerland.com
The current labor law does not meet the need for more flexibility and smart self-organization of the working day. This is problematic: Swiss ICT companies must have the possibility to position themselves as attractive employers.
Publications on political topics are available in the national languages German and French.
it-feuer.ch is a network of independent organizations that draws attention to the topic of young computer scientists and women/girls. With their partners, digitalswitzerland being one of them, it-feuer.ch provides an overview with exciting offers for computer science education. This way they help prepare the next generation, especially girls, for life and their professional future. It-feuer.ch was initiated by the European Girls’ Olympiad in Informatics (EGOI), which will be held in Switzerland for the first time in June 2021.
Learn more about it-feuer.ch.
Meet female role models in ICT
The digitalswitzerland «nextgeneration» initiative supports digital education offerings primarily for children and adolescents to foster curiosity and build fundamental skills early in life. Our role is to connect these existing platforms and provide reach and publicity via our channels and network. There are offerings in all language regions of Switzerland.
The generation of tomorrow, the talents and shapers of the future are central to Switzerland. For this reason, digitalswitzerland is committed to concrete projects to teach digital skills. On the «nextgeneration» page, you will find activities and camps for children and young people aged 5 to 19 as well as for adults, distributed throughout Switzerland, to immerse themselves in the fascination of the digital world.
Bern, March 16, 2021 – The application phase for the ICT Education & Training Award 2021 is open. The national association ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz is calling on ICT training companies to apply by May 31, 2021. The Special Prize “Best ICT Vocational Trainer” will also be awarded for the third time.
From now on, training companies can apply to ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz for this year’s ICT Education & Training Award. Since 2012, the national association has awarded the prize annually to organizations that are particularly committed to promoting young talent in the professional field of information and communications technology (ICT). Companies, administrations and non-profit organizations that train apprentices in the professions of IT specialist EFZ, media specialist EFZ and ICT specialist EFZ, but whose core business is not vocational training, are eligible to participate.
The categories
The three categories are based on the number of ICT employees in the organization: 1-20, 21-100 and over 100 ICT employees. For the third time, a special prize will be awarded to the best ICT vocational trainer. Learners or employees are invited to enter dedicated ICT vocational educators. An independent jury will nominate three finalists per category and for the Special Prize.
The Jury
The jury is composed of the following persons: Werner Scherrer, Jury President (Zürcher Lehrbetriebsverband ICT), Patrick Aebi (ICT Berufsbildungscenter AG), Moira Barbuti (UBS), Dr. Peter Heinrich (ZHAW School of Management and Law), Giancarlo Palmisani (Swico), Annalena Tosi (digitalswitzerland).
Propulsion Academy is an EdTech startup based in Zurich. In this blog, they explore how supporting and developing new skills for employees ensures long-term employability and success.
In a recent survey from PwC with 22,000 adults in 11 countries, 53% of respondents said they believe automation will significantly change or even make their job obsolete within the next 10 years.
Nevertheless, the majority with 61% of the respondents, were positive about the impact technology will have on their work. 77% of people said they would learn new skills now or completely retrain to ensure their future employability.
For many people, upskilling and reskilling means learning how to code and leveraging technologies, like they do in our intensive Data Science and Web Development bootcamps. For others, especially for managers, it’s more about understanding what technology can do and learning how to work with or leading a tech team.
There are many benefits for employees, but also for companies, if they start upskilling employees.
Engaged employees want to learn and have the support of their company to encourage active learning.
Upskilling and retraining your current workforce will prevent skills from becoming redundant and reduce costs associated with turnover.
It’s proven that teams with various learning and development opportunities have higher workplace morale. Not only will employees feel more comfortable in their working environment, but it will also encourage them to feel happier in their roles and have a more positive outlook on their future within the company.
Providing opportunities to upskill will help to establish brand image within the market. By supporting your employee’s learning and development, you will empower employees to be strong brand advocates for your company. This is also an attractive feature for highly-qualified applicants with extensive skills and experience.
Analyse current situations and identify missing skills:
Companies should run strategic workforce simulations to identify mid and long-term talent gaps. Classify current skills needed for different jobs within the company and map them against future ones. Doing this will allow the opportunity to assess what kind of upskilling employees need.
Choose the right programmes and courses:
After analysing the current situation and future needs, develop learning interventions to bridge the gaps. Added to this, you can customise best-practice learning methods to individual employees through resources like personalised learning platforms.
Individual training:
For employees that need to learn specific skills, companies should find the right training. Take time to research courses on everything from courses on Python Programming, Artificial Intelligence or Machine learning to equip employees with the specific skills they need to succeed in their role.
Internal training:
Explore company-wide programmes or tailored group training that can be organised internally. Think about workshops for managers covering topics like Artificial Intelligence and to learn how to lead or work with a Data Science team. This helps to better manage and understand the role of developers within teams.
Establish a learning culture:
Training and development programmes have more chance of success if management promotes a learning culture and if the right incentives are in place for employees to learn. Best-in-class companies encourage employees to adopt a continuous-growth mindset and to learn on the job. This provides opportunities for people to take time off for learning (ex: flexible time schedule or reducing workload to do a part-time programme or an unpaid leave to do a 3-month bootcamp). It is important for managers to embrace this approach and act as training coaches to employees.
Education is one of the world’s single largest industries, making up more than 6% of GDP. It is expected that total global expenditure from governments, companies, and consumers together will reach $7.3T by 2025. Based on a global education and expenditure study by the Wittgenstein Centre, there will be 2 billion more school, college, university and further education graduates in the world by 2050.
There is no way around upskilling at both the individual and company-level. Technology will change the way we work and subsequently the skills we need.
Daniela Meier is CMO of Propulsion Academy
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