The Digital Skills Gap: How To Bridge The Divide

"Mind the Gap"

A recent European Commission report revealed that 42% of the Irish workforce has little or no digital skills. As a result, more than half of the companies in Ireland had difficulty in hiring people in this industry in 2015, one of the highest rates in Europe.

These are challenges that need to be addressed, as overcoming them will avoid structural unemployment and contribute to the sustainability of Ireland's growth model according to the EC. It will also be crucial for the improvement of social indicators.

• What is the digital skills gap?

• How can we prevent this gap from widening?

• How can we bridge this gap?

• What skills will future employees need?

Speakers

Antonio Palacios (https://ie.linkedin.com/in/antoniogvpalacios)

Learning Experience Manager at Digital Skills Academy

An L&D manager, with a computer science background, who has experience in training operations across multiple European sites, including work with senior leaders and staff. Skills include needs analysis, selection and creation of in-class and e-learning curriculum, agile learning solution design, management of exam centres, training rooms and labs, and full ownership of large site-wide learning events.

Peter Lydon (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterlydon?authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=gBpI&locale=en_US&srchid=2930172971480865409006&srchindex=1&srchtotal=32&trk=vsrp_people_res_name&trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A2930172971480865409006%2CVSRPtargetId%3A49461013%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary%2CVSRPnm%3Atrue%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH)- @peter_lydon (https://twitter.com/peter_lydon)

Secondary School Teacher, Gifted Specialist and EdTech Consultant

In his own words, Peter Lydon is one of those annoying 'know-it-alls’ whose wife keeps telling him to stop ‘making himself popular!’ He doesn’t actually ‘know-it-all’ but is pretty sure no else does either. He thinks the Digital Gaps (there are many) aren’t all bad and some should be embraced. The others, he wants you to fix. Now! The more you talk, the more he is diagnosing you. More details on his poor life choices here (http://peterlydon.ie/about/).

Diarmuid Ó Muirgheasa - @DiarmuidOM (https://twitter.com/DiarmuidOM)

Managing Director at the Academy of Code

Academy of Code (http://www.theacademyofcode.com/) is an educational company delivering coding and technology classes across Dublin. Diarmuid lectures in Information Technology and Information Systems in DIT Aungier Street. Before moving into education, Diarmuid worked as a consulting software developer and as a technology correspondent in the Irish language media.

Laurence Cuffe (https://ie.linkedin.com/in/laurence-cuffe-a632a019) - @CuffeL (https://twitter.com/CuffeL)

Associate Faculty Member at National College of Ireland - Technology Enhanced Learning

Laurence has a background in Further (Post-compulsory) Education, educational theory, and holds a PhD in Computational Chemistry. Laurence has a research interest in adult maths education and works with Further Education trainee teachers at NCI. His published works can be viewed at ResearchGate (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laurence_Cuffe). Laurence is also a mathematics instructor at the Kildare Wicklow Education and Training Board.