EAGLE – CovEring the trAining Gap in digital skills for European SMEs manpowEr

SMEs are increasingly aware that digitization is the key for being more competitive and for achieving higher business development.
One of the principal barriers that European SMEs are facing is the lack of relevant qualifications and experience of potential candidates.
The main objective of EAGLE project is to design and deliver high-quality specialized training courses (6 courses in total), reflecting the latest developments in key capacity areas (Cybersecurity, Big Data, Robotics Blockchain and Smart Energy), supporting the development of advanced digital skills of people in the labour force, with a focus on SMEs, both for managers and employees.

The proponent consortium is comprised of 5 HEIs, 1 Center of Excellence, 1 ICT specialized SME and 3 business association from 7 different European countries: Spain, Finland, Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania and Cyprus. Each EAGLE’s HEI will provide training on one of the key areas, in which they are already experts. With the aim of involving SMEs and industrial partners and reinforcing the applicability of the proposed training, the project includes a first phase of co-design of the courses that will serve to incorporate the real needs of these companies, to which the 3 business associations included in the consortium will contribute with a key role. This will be followed by a pilot program of courses delivery along the second and third year of development. Courses will be conducted in a way that will consider time needs of already working staff and will try to be accessible to participants from different countries.

The project is expected to strengthen the relationship between private companies, especially SMEs and Higher Education Institutions; contribute to digital transformation of businesses; and contribute to gender convergence, relative to digital skills of people in the labour force, by considering the gender parity in all the development stages but especially in the target public of courses.