The modern workplace increasingly demands information and communication technology (ICT) literacy.
Yet half of all workers in the EU have little or no computer skills. At a time when many member states face high unemployment, it is vital to bridge this skills gap if Europe is to remain competitive.
This is why the European Commission's eSkills for jobs initiative is so important, explains Natasja Bohez- Rubiano, a member of European Commissioner Marianne Thyssen's employment, social affairs, skills and labour mobility team.
"In the near future, 90 per cent of jobs will require some level of digital skills. Despite this, around 39 per cent of workers have very low ICT skills; 14 per cent have none whatsoever."
The symbiosis between innovative business and a highly-skilled and productive workforce is a huge factor for European competitiveness. "Demand for digitally skilled employees is growing at around 4 per cent a year. We need to deliver people with the right skills to fill these needs."
Next year, she says, the European Commission will launch a new Skills Agenda for Europe. "This will focus on action to increase skills - including digital skills - and on improving the recognition and portability of qualifications. We will also develop tools that help bring job seekers and potential employers together more quickly."
Irish MEP Liadh Ní Riada served as the GUE/NGL group shadow rapporteur on 'Promoting youth entrepreneurship through education and training'. "We are," she says, "living at a time where it is a given that everyone, young and old, has some level of ICT skills" and where "a growing percentage of jobs require an understanding of ICT. Yet with many Europeans struggling to find work, half of our citizens lack digital skills."
"The digital era", she believes, "affords us a unique opportunity" She cites the FIT ('Fast-track to IT') campaign, which is coordinating eSkills for jobs in Ireland.
Over 16,000 job seekers have already completed FIT skills development and 12,000 have found work. The European Commission has identified FIT as one of the most effective employability initiatives in Europe.
Bulgarian MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk, who was the ALDE group shadow rapporteur on the same dossier, agrees. "The rapidly growing digital economy makes ICT skills increasingly important for future economic growth. However, the share of the EU citizens with no or low computer skills is unacceptably high."
Kyuchyuk adds; "If we are to address the projected shortage of ICT professionals by 2020, all stakeholders must play an active role.” eSkills for jobs does this; it brings together all relevant public and private organisations to tackle the issues.
Kyuchyuk stressed the importance of ICT skills for productivity. "Digital skills are now core life skills," he said.
"They need the same importance as numeracy, literacy and language learning in schools. Otherwise, we risk falling behind the rest of the world."
However, policymakers can only take this so far. Other stakeholders need to step up. The European roundtable of industrialists brings together around 50 leaders of major multinationals of European parentage. They support around 6.8 million European jobs across a range of sectors.
The roundtable's Secretary General Brian Ager says his members are very supportive of eSkills training. "If we want to realise the full potential of digital technology, all Europeans, irrespective of age, need ICT skills."
"Widespread digitisation will impact the growth and innovation capacity of almost every economic sector."
Europe's retailers and wholesalers, which supply around one in seven jobs across the European Union, also take a keen interest. EuroCommerce, representing the sector in Brussels, sees huge potential.
"The retail sector faces major changes in how consumers buy their goods and services. We need flexible, skilled workers able to adapt quickly", says a spokesperson.
"Our members have committed significant resources to training and apprenticeships. EuroCommerce is also preparing a pledge to join the grand coalition on digital jobs, where businesses and education providers in public and private sectors will cooperate to offer young people the digital skills they need."
Job seekers can benefit too; ICT literacy also makes them more employable. Denis Pennel, the managing director of recruitment and employment association Eurociett, explains; "eSkills training is essential to the employability and job security of workers."
"Our industry up-skills more than one million citizens each year. This gives them greater work choices and lets them make more effective transitions in the labour market. When workers invest in their own employability, they remain attractive to employers."
Hopefully, eSkills for jobs is pushing at an open door. Europe needs its citizens to acquire these skills sooner rather than later if it is to continue to grow and prosper.