Maltese National eSkills Strategy 2022-2025

The National eSkills Strategy 2022-2025 is a strategic framework developed by Malta to address the growing importance of digital skills in driving the nation’s economic, social, and political transformation. This strategy is part of a broader effort by Malta to ensure that the country can keep pace with the rapid advancements in digital technologies and the corresponding skills needed to thrive in a modern, digital economy.

Key objectives and vision

The strategy is guided by the vision of ‘Reshaping Maltese society and economy through digital skills and competencies.’ It seeks to build upon the previous strategy (2019-2021) by addressing the digital skills gaps and capitalising on new opportunities to ensure that Malta’s workforce, public administration, and society are well-prepared for the digital future.

Strategic pillars

The strategy is structured around four key pillars, each addressing different aspects of digital skills development:

1. Education: This pillar focuses on integrating digital skills into the education system from primary to tertiary levels. It emphasises the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and the inclusion of digital literacy as a core competency. The strategy calls for continuous updates to curricula to keep pace with technological advancements and the promotion of digital careers, especially among underrepresented groups such as women.
2. Society: Recognising that digital skills are essential for active participation in modern society, this pillar aims to bridge the digital divide by ensuring that all segments of the population have access to basic digital skills. This includes initiatives to address economic, social, and cultural barriers that may prevent certain groups from accessing digital technologies.
3. Workforce: The strategy emphasises the need for continuous reskilling and upskilling of the workforce to meet the demands of an evolving digital economy. It encourages businesses, particularly SMEs, to invest in digital transformation and supports them through training programs and incentives.
4. ICT Professionals: To address the shortage of ICT specialists, this pillar focuses on promoting ICT careers, ensuring that professionals have access to the latest training and development opportunities, and encouraging diversity within the ICT sector.

Governance and implementation

The strategy outlines several governance enablers to ensure its effective implementation:

• Collaboration: A coordinated approach among various stakeholders, including the public and private sectors, is necessary to avoid duplication of efforts and to ensure consistency in digital skills initiatives.
• Leadership and Shared Responsibility: The strategy calls for enhanced leadership within the digital skills domain and shared responsibility among stakeholders to achieve the desired outcomes.
• Benchmarking: Continuous assessment and evaluation of progress are crucial to ensure that the strategy’s goals are met.
• Funding: Adequate and sustainable funding sources are necessary to support the various initiatives outlined in the strategy.
• Focused Strategic Alignment: The strategy emphasises aligning with other national and EU strategies to ensure coherence and complementarity.