From dozens of activities, they judged the contribution of our Women academies, through which we have already helped 2,078 women on their IT journey. In making their selections, they assessed the level of mastery of digital skills, the ability to find a job, as well as the learners’ motivation to work and pursue lifelong learning. In addition to Aj Ty v IT, the shortlisted #TOP10 also included Indian, American, South African and Japanese initiatives aimed at improving and expanding IT and digital skills. The ratio of countries in the top ten was 6:4 in favour of Europe.
Skills Pact
An analysis of up-skilling and re-skilling initiatives to identify best practices and examples of good practice was carried out by the European Innovation Council and the Executive Agency or Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EISMEA) as part of the Pact for Skills programme, the results of which were published in a detailed 246-page study. It took a year to prepare, from December 2022 to December 2023, and offers an overview of the key recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders.
Emphasis on lifelong learning
The analysis confirmed that the theme of development and reskilling was identified as a key; in all the initiatives analysed from all 36 countries, but they varied considerably in their approaches and levels of commitment. Global trends that united these initiatives included: an emphasis on lifelong learning, the importance of digital skills, collaboration between the public and private sectors, recognition of non-formal and informal learning, and a focus on inclusion and equity.
We are, of course, delighted to receive international recognition and acknowledgement of the impact of our work.