VASS and the Autonomous University of Madrid have jointly presented the conclusions of their study ‘Employability and Digital Talent 2018’, in which they warn of a “severe quantitative and qualitative deficit of digital talent”, a challenge for the Spanish industry since it puts in endangers the country’s role in the world panorama of Information and Communication Technologies.
The study confirms, among other factors, that there is a considerable difference of 40% between the skills that Computer Science graduates have and the needs of companies, which is why companies and universities are working to establish a more effective dialogue.
key data
One of the interesting data of the study is to know that there are 28,500 entities that need computer profiles, while there are only 25,700 new graduates per year, also counting those of Vocational Training cycles. That implies that companies compete for each new university graduate.
The study also shows that the skills gap has to do, above all, with talent (in 60.1%), but also with a lack of motivation and proper conduct (a far from negligible 39.9%) .
Companies appreciate a sufficient level of new graduates in only 7 of the 19 categories called ‘hard skills’. The best level of preparation is found in the administration of LAN-WAN systems, the layout and design of web pages, programming in web environments (JAVA, Javascript, HTML, PHP) and the design and implementation of Databases (My SQL , ORACLE or SQL Server).
How to combat the talent deficit?
“Our university courses are demanding and our companies are very audacious. It is about lubricating very localized friction points. But this challenge should not only involve universities and companies, but also all Public Administrations, because if the appropriate measures are not taken, the train can be lost, and the digital economy, which colossally rewards leaders, is ruthless and impertinent with the laggards”, says Antonio Rueda, director of VASS Research, responsible for the monthly barometer TIC Monitor of VASS and professor of Economic Structure at the UAM.
Rueda sees it necessary to “intensify collaboration between universities and companies because, although young computer scientists can easily find work, their careers and professional potential can be optimized and, with this, they can also help the productive fabric”. Measures that he urges to implement, he assures, “without prejudice to the fact that it is necessary to facilitate the arrival of young foreigners in our country to turn Spain into the hub of technological talent in Europe, as Canada aspires, in its geographical area, with its Global SkillsStrategy . But, for this, it is essential to order the internal capacities. If we miss that train, Spain may be irreversibly left behind.
