Italy - The National Strategy for Digital Skills

The National Strategy for Digital Skills is the essential basis for the implementation of organic, multi-sectoral and effective interventions on a fundamental area for the economic and social development in Italy. The strategic document is the result of a collaborative approach, which put at the same table the Technical Steering Committee, partner organisations and the National Coalition of Digital Republic. The Strategy aims to eliminate the difference in level with other European countries, in terms of the country system and concerning the individual axes of intervention, and to break down the gap between various areas of our national territory in the field of the digital skills of citizens. 

Objectives for 2026

• Reach 70 % of the population with at least basic digital skills, marking an increase of over 13 million citizens since 2019, and zero the gender gap.
• Doubling the population with advanced digital skills (78 % of young people with higher education halving the gender gap, 40 % in the private sector and 50 % of civil servants).
• Triple the number of ICT graduates and quadruple female graduates, double the share of companies using big data.
• Increase the number of SMEs using ICT specialists by 50 %.
• Increase the share of the population using digital public services by 5 times, bringing it to 64 %, and equating the use of the Internet to the levels of the most advanced European countries even in the less young segments of the population (84 % in the 65-74 age group).

To achieve these objectives, an operational plan has been developed, constantly evolving, with a roadmap and specific actions aimed at:

• improve, support and promote a synergistic approach for all initiatives related to digital skills;
• communicate the importance of digital skills and digital culture to all sectors of society;
• promote and implement national initiatives to better retrain and equip students, the workforce and all citizens in the field of digital skills.

The Operational Plan indicates the system actions for the implementation of the lines of intervention defined in the National Strategy and identifies the objectives, measurable, pursued for each action within each axis of intervention. Consult the documents of the Operational Plan. On the basis of the strategic objectives, and in a comprehensive framework of action, four axes of action have been identified, in line with the four pillars of the European Coalition for Digital Skills and Professions. Different lines of intervention correspond to each of the axes, in terms of the macro-areas covered by intervention. The interventions promoted within each axis are system, transversal, organic, with wide impact, agile and rapid implementation.

Support the development of digital skills throughout the education and higher training cycle Education 5 actions, divided into the following 5 lines of action, dedicated to the enhancement of digital skills in schools:

• Infrastructural digitalisation of the school system
• Skills development and digital culture of students
• Digital training of teaching staff
• Strengthening ICT training within PCTOs
• Strengthening of university orientation pathways

11 actions, divided into the following 11 lines of action, dedicated to the enhancement of digital skills within the national higher education system:

• Strengthening human capital.
• Collaboration between school and university.
• Strengthening the digital culture of teachers.
• Adaptation of didactic delivery programmes and methods.
• Digital wallet, with horizontal and vertical trajectories.
• Online training, blended learning and flexible pathways.
• Integration of the digital portfolio into existing training pathways.
• Open education platforms for the sharing of infrastructure and human capital.
• Strengthening courses of study in synergy with industries and schools.
• Training courses oriented to industrial research and innovation.
• Enabling ICT disciplines for digital transformation.

Active labour force Ensuring all active population with key digital skills for the new needs and working methods Active labour force in the private sector 10 actions, divided into the following 8 lines of intervention, aimed at improving the technological skills of the entire workforce and at a greater link between the world of training and the business world:

• Enhancing workers’ digital skills with a focus on the gender digital divide.
• Directing companies to technological transformation.
• Spreading innovation at all levels.
• Bringing the sectors of school, research, PA and business closer together, creating the necessary synergies in terms of innovation.
• Bringing traditional businesses closer to digital businesses.
• Supporting demand for innovative technological solutions (smart public demand).
• Focus on the development of research centres on emerging technologies.
• Access to ultra-wideband networks.

Active workforce in the public sector 12 actions, divided into the following 5 lines of intervention, dedicated to the affirmation and consolidation of skills to support the digital transformation of the Public Administration:

• Recruitment of executives with digital skills and problem solving skills.
• Career orientation paths in the public sphere and specialised training in digital.
• Assessment of skills to work in an increasingly digital PA.
• Targeted training programmes on digital issues applied to the PA and structured assessment of progress achieved.
• Comparison with the world of research and business on the different aspects of digital transformation.

ICT Specialist Skills Promote the development of key competences for the future and increase the percentage of ICT specialists, especially in emerging technologies Specialist skills ICT 7 actions, divided into the following 7 lines of intervention, dedicated to the development and dissemination of ICT specialist skills:

• Evolution of training courses on ICT technologies.
• LCT-based business models and management of digital transformation interventions.
• Workforce programmes dedicated to technological development.
• Support for field training.
• Incentives for companies to offer training courses in the field.
• Technology transfer and the birth of startups through laboratories of excellence.
• Knowledge exchange between business employees, universities and research centres.

Citizens Combating the digital divide of a cultural nature present in the Italian population, supporting the maximum digital inclusion Citizens 14 actions, divided into the following 5 lines of intervention, dedicated to the development of citizens’ digital skills:

• Educational pathways within educational institutions.
• Training paths in the non-formal educational circuit.
• Path “of the road” – Training of skills on the territory.
• Communication paths.
• Digital Inclusion Pathway.

Monitoring of the Plan The monitoring model of the Operational Plan provides for the six-monthly verification of the progress and results obtained from the proposed actions, annually measuring the overall impact they have on the axes of intervention. Find out more about monitoring the Operational Plan.