According to a new analysis from the consultancy firm, Højbjerre, Brauer and Schultz (In Danish, read here), there were about 33,000 job openings from private companies looking for employees with skills in technology, IT, engineering, science and mathematics (STEM) in 2017. This corresponds to approximately every fourth of all job openings in the private sector; and the number is growing.
At the same time it is occupations contributing to productivity growth. A new analysis from the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs shows that the productivity of STEM-educated staff is relatively high and there also appears to be a positive correlation between enterprise productivity and the proportion of STEM-educated staff (In Danish, read here)
The challenges for companies in recruiting employees with technical and digital skills today and in coming years must be resolved. Therefore, the government launches the Technology Pact to work together with companies, educational and research institutions etc. on skills for a more technological and digital future. The pact is inspired from the Netherlands, but is designed to Danish structures and also includes adult training.
The Technology Pact is a part of Strategy for Denmark’s Digital Growth, which the Danish government, the Danish People’s Party and the Danish Social-Liberal Party agreed on in February2018. The strategy consists of 38 ambitious initiatives with the aim of making Denmark a digital front runner. Read the full strategy here (read here: LINK).
Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Brian Mikkelsen:
"Denmark is among the digital frontrunners in Europe. We need more people to acquire technical skills in order to work with digital and technological jobs. That will help Denmark harvest the many opportunities the digital transformation of our society brings in terms of job and prosperity, and it also enables us to resolve some of the major challenges in our society. For example when drones can spray fields with fertilizer more effectively for the benefit of the environment and the production simultaneously, and when supercomputers and new technology can detect cancer through a blood test."
Minister for Education, Merete Riisager:
"We have a vision that all children should learn how to code. Children should not only be users of technology, but also be able to shape and understand it. That requires us to provide students with digital skills and knowledge about cybersecurity and protection of their own data. In the future, all students must develop a basic understanding of technology as the building block in our society. "
Minister for Higher Education and Science, Søren Pind:
"I am pleased that we now join forces to strengthen Denmark’s impact within the fields of science and technology. We must ignite a spark of interest in young people for natural sciences so that they apply for entry in education programmes within technology and IT: Therefore, it is satisfying that we already have so many exciting projects - for example, IT-camps for girls or development of virtual teaching technologies."
Minister for Employment, Troels Lund Poulsen:
"It is important that more children and young people take an interest in natural science subjects. There is an increasing demand from companies for employees with technical and digital skills. It is a development that the government watch closely and one that we must accommodate. It is vital that companies can get the labour they need. Otherwise, we miss out on growth and we risk that both activities and jobs move out of the country. The Technology Pact was discussed in the Disruption Council this autumn and the Council supported the initiative. I look forward to follow the work of the Technology Pact Council."
Chairman of the Technology Pact Council and CEO of Netcompany, André Rogaczewski:
"I am eager to engage in activities with a large number of companies, schools and skilled research institutions in the Technology Pact in all regions of Denmark. I am confident that we, with the Technology Pact participants and its many projects, can help inspire and train many Danes to shape a digital future and solve the exciting tasks facing companies and society that require more technical and digital skills. We all share the responsibility."
The goals of the Technology Pact are that by 2020 there will be more than 150,000 children, adolescents and adults and 250 companies engaged in the pact. Also in ten years 20 percent more will be trained in higher education within the STEM area.
Information on the Technology Pact projects, partners, etc. can be found on the Technology Pact website, which is also launched today: www.teknologipagten.dk
See
Strategy for Denmarks digital growth
For further press contact:
Leading Press Counsellor at the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Rasmus Holm Thomsen: +45 91 39 94 55 /rht@em.dk.