Protagonists of Transformation

Digital transformation is no longer a thing of the future. It is here and has already revolutionized the job market, outlining a scenario in which digital skills and capabilities are essential not only for workers, but for society as a whole.

The European Commission has sounded the alarm bell, launching the Digital Decade with the vision for 2030. In just seven years, the Commission calls for reaching 80% of European citizens aged 16 to 74 with digital skills. And where are we at? Italy ranks 25th out of 27 EU countries. Only 46% of people have at least basic digital skills, which is below the EU average of 54% (Indice di digitalizzazione dell'economia e della società, Desi 2022).

This gap underlines the urgent need to promote digital inclusion in all its forms: for women, often relegated to the margins of the ICT world, for NEETs - young people who do not study or work - who risk even further exclusion in an increasingly digitalized labour market, for small local businesses, which represent the productive backbone of our country and which need to quickly adapt to new challenges and, finally, for a large population to allow them to exercise a responsible, active citizenship.

Digitalisation therefore is a tool for empowerment and transversal inclusion. This is the premise of the fourth edition of Job Digital Lab. Training to Get Back in Action, the training programme created with ING Italia to develop and enhance digital skills.

Active since 2020, Job Digital Lab has trained 22,000 people to date, besides a further 8,000 who are the goal of the fourth edition. This result was achieved thanks to the contribution of expert trainers with the voluntary contribution of ING employees, who shared their experiences and skills.

Job Digital Lab aims to:       

• Improve digital skills - 46% of the population aged 16-74 years has basic digital skills compared to the 54% EU average (Digital Economy and Society Index by EU, 2022), while only 9.6% of the population aged 25-64 participates in training activities compared to the 10.8% EU average (Istat, Noi Italia, 2023);
• Help bridge the mismatch - the lack of correspondence between business work demand and worker supply: there are around 10 million "mismatched" workers in Italy (FSA Maturity Index, BCG, 2021);
• Address the gender gap, which the pandemic has exacerbated. According to 2022 Istat data, only 11% of new hires are women compared to 89% of men.

ING has also renewed its membership in Coding Girls - the Fondazione Mondo programme created with the support of the US Diplomatic Mission to Italy to train the new generations in STEAM disciplines - which goes exactly in this direction, in the belief that the digital empowerment of women is a driver of economic development. Women, in fact, represent a trove of talents, ideas and skills, which can make a decisive contribution to the growth of our country and the construction of a more innovative and prosperous society.

Various activities have been scheduled for the fourth year of Job Digital Lab, divided into the following macro-actions:

1. Literacy and strengthening of digital skills: for those who start from scratch, or almost, and want to learn more about digital tools and the conscious use of the most widespread social platforms and online services;
2. Start-up Lab for Women: a business support program dedicated to young women in high school;
3. Local Events: training events dedicated to entrepreneurs, SMEs, professionals, and trade associations to learn how to use digital tools more effectively, but also to network with local institutions and businesses;
4. Training micro-modules, also available on a smartphone: video pills, podcasts, social cards for e-learning, which will allow participants to train comfortably from their PC or smartphone;
5. Role modelling: to give participants concrete opportunities for discussion with professionals and the corporate world, in which ING volunteer employees will also participate;
6. Hackathon on financial education: for high school students at Global Money Week from March 18-24, 2024;

Job Digital Lab training is free and open to all with no access limits.

At the end of the varied training programme, career guidance centres, employment centres, and recruiting agencies will be involved to facilitate a meeting between supply and demand, supporting participants in entering or re-entering the working world.

“ING's goal is to contribute globally to a more inclusive economy for 3 million people by 2025", says Silvia Colombo, Head of External Communication & Corporate Social Responsibility at ING Italia. "And when we talk about inclusion, we cannot help but think of the central role that digital tools are playing in the transformation of society and our need to acquire skills to be part of this transformation. Job Digital Lab is the response of ING Italia, a pioneering digital bank in our country, to this important need and to offer tools to achieve a better version of oneself, based on skills and competences useful for keeping up with the times."

“For the fourth consecutive year, the Fondazione Mondo Digitale is providing its experience and skills through Job Digital Lab," declared Mirta Michilli, Director General of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale. "With the previous editions of the programme, we have trained over 22,000 people. This year, we want to further strengthen our offer and reach as many people as possible to provide them with training for the future. Because possessing digital skills is not only a necessity for those looking for work or for those who want to keep up with new trends, but, in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, it represents a keystone for a future in which everyone, regardless of own background or conditions, can have the same opportunities for growth and fulfilment".