Abstract:

The fast pace of adoption of digital technologies is operating a profound transformation in the contexts of work and is challenging companies and professionals to rethink the roles of humans in increasingly automated and interconnected systems. However, the promises of technologies such as automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and alike, will not hold true without a dramatic requalification the professional workforce, as well as the advancement of new programs and innovative teaching and learning approaches in the higher education arena. Higher education institutions will have to accelerate their pace of innovation, and to – more than ever – build resilient dialogue practices with local companies, for the joint specification of programs aligned with the salient capabilities and priorities for the sustainability of local economic ecosystems.

This study reported in this paper builds on the research work being conducted in the scope of the EU Urbact Project “Aveiro STEAM City” (2018-201) that aims at developing knowledge to inform the education and qualification strategies to address digital transformation, and to foster talent retention in medium-density urban areas.

The research work builds on a preliminary literature review for the identification of priority areas for competence development associated with digital transformation, according to recent policy debates on education, and research results on the implications of digitalization for jobs. A set of technical – i.e. domain-specific – and transversal competences were identified and prioritized, at local level, through workshops involving representatives from local companies. The results of this work were discussed in one-to-one interviews with company managers with responsibilities in strategic human resources decisions, with the purpose of identifying priority areas for the development of pilot programs for the requalification of professionals to meet the demands of digital transformation in the local economy.

The results of enquiries and debates with local stakeholders led to the specification of pilot programs addressing two different professionals: one targeting the requalification of (employed) professionals, and the other aimed at the creation of awareness of digital qualification and career opportunities targeted to young graduates from diverse academic fields (e.g. social sciences, design, natural sciences, etc.). The research results also highlighted the need to differentiate the pilot training programs across three additional criteria. A differentiation across the key business sectors that are relevant at local level (i.e. industry, IT and Tourism companies), in order to meet different priorities from each sector in what concerns the technical and transversal competences areas to invest in (e.g. automation, artificial intelligence, etc.). A differentiation across company characteristics (e.g. company size) given the different capabilities that companies hold for either investing in the development of internal digital competence or subcontracting them. And finally the need to define different levels of qualification program to meet different functional roles at the company level (e.g. strategic, operational, etc.).The experience also allowed for piloting methods to support the dialogue between the education and training sector, and the local company base, as a key building block in the joint definition of local strategies for talent development and retention.

Keywords:

Digital transformation, requalification, higher education innovation, project.