Welcome to the digital skills revolution: EIT Digital launches the (d)Academy

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• USA - English

BRUSSELS, Jan. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- EIT Digital is proud to announce the launch of the (d)Academy, a cutting-edge digital skills platform developed to address the critical shortage of digital talent across Europe.

Created in partnership with Abodoo, a leader in remote talent-matching, the (d)Academy is designed to tackle a challenge that affects individuals, businesses, and entire economies: over 75% of EU companies report difficulties finding skilled digital professionals, while only 56% of Europeans aged 16-74 possess basic digital skills.

The (d)Academy enables skills-based job matching rather than traditional resume screening, a paradigm shift that expands talent pools and leads to more efficient recruitment. 

Central to its mission is fostering a culture of lifelong learning, equipping individuals with the tools to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving tech-driven world. Through modular, industry-aligned courses in high-demand fields like cybersecurity, data analytics, and machine learning—developed with over 300 industry partners—the platform ensures learners can continuously upskill and reskill to meet current and future employer demands.

Additionally, the (d)Academy draws on talent and expertise from the EIT Digital Master School, enhancing its impact on the education-to-employment pipeline.

At the heart of the platform lies a proprietary AI algorithm that breaks down both the CVs as well as the courses, identifying the hard and soft skills that are needed to align the candidates' profiles with current industry demands.

Learners can select desired career trajectories and focus areas. The (d)Academy's AI data-driven skills-mapping technology then assembles relevant content from partner providers to create personalized learning journeys. Educational partners can map their own content to enable better course suggestions, while employers can identify skills gaps in the workforce and align hiring needs with training outcomes. 

Another core element is the Digital Skills Passport, a mobile application enabling users to showcase their skills and connect with employers.

Users can upload their CV or manually input their skills, work experience, and education. The platform's AI analyzes this data to recommend courses that address skills gaps and align with current industry demands. Candidates can apply for jobs directly or be invited by recruiters, with their data only shared when there's mutual interest.

"Addressing the digital skills gap is not just about filling vacancies; it's about securing Europe's future in a tech-driven world. If we do not solve this problem, we risk falling behind in global competitiveness, innovation, and economic growth. The (d)Academy is our strategic response to this challenge," the CEO of EIT Digital, Federico Menna, says.

With an ambitious goal of activating 100 million Skills Passports by 2030, the initiative is designed to prevent economic losses estimated at €11.2 trillion across 14 G20 countries by bridging the widening skills gap.

"Learning must be accessible, adaptive, and ongoing," said Diva Tommei, Chief Innovation and Education Officer at EIT Digital. "Our goal is not only to address today's skills shortage but to instill a culture of lifelong learning across Europe. The (d)Academy equips individuals with the tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing technological landscape, giving them access to an 'Academy for Life.'"

For more information, visit www.eitdigital.eu and www.dacademy.io.