Digital Days 2020 postponed VIP-Event (by invitation only)

We are excited to announce that in 2021 we will host Digital Day for the 5th year in a row. It will take place on 10 November with a variety of events both in the digital and physical space.

Since digitalisation is such a multifaceted topic that can’t be possibly covered in a single day, we have decided to use the 6 weeks leading up to Digital Day to foster a nationwide discourse around digital topics, focusing on two main topics, learning and co-creation of the future.

We invite you to explore past events on digitalday.swiss, the same space we will use to publish our programme highlights when the time comes.

In early March we hosted a Digital Day kickoff event with over 200 attendees interested in shaping Digital Day 2021. We revealed our concept, talked about changes we made to improve digital day to make it even more accessible and inclusive for the Swiss population and discussed ways to create an even bigger impact for everyone involved.

Are you interested in shaping this national event with global attention? We are still welcoming new partners who are ready to make an impact. Book a call with us now to see how you can get involved.

This year’s Digital Day is not until 10 November but there are plenty of opportunities to get involved starting today. We are curious to hear your answer to our guiding question – What kind of digital future do you wish for? – and welcome all of your thoughts here. 

This is one of many ways we listen to those living with the consequences of an increasingly digital world. After all, Digital Day is an event for the public created to spark the biggest, most meaningful conversation around all things digital with all citizens of Switzerland. 

For more information regarding the programme, speakers and information on last year’s event please visit digitalday.swiss. The 2021-programme will be released soon.

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!

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:

• Basic digital skills are the critical foundation for any professional development in the future. Without them, opportunities for further development will remain inaccessible.
• Focusing on basic competencies will enable an important multiplication effect of the Boost programme. 
• This allows the allocation of programme funds where they have the highest expected activating effect.

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.

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