Digital competence development in a few countries of the European Union

Abstract

The first computers were made as early as in the 20th century, but the rapid development of digitalisation took place in the 21st century. Nowadays, Industry 4.0 has created a network connection between man and machines. Without computers and the Internet, the world is unthinkable. Digitalisation is pervading every part of our lives. Whether at work or in our leisure activities, digitalisation and the use of digital tools are present. The digital revolution was started by computers and is now an indispensable our lives, for example with the internet, mobile phones, cloud solutions and self-driving cars. It's no coincidence that digital competence is no longer an expectation, but an obligation for employers and employees alike. Several studies have undertaken to define digital skills; however, we can talk about a rather complex competence. The current study examines the question in the dimension of the European Union from a multitude of aspects. The authors use the DESI index and EU statistics on this topic to find correlations between digital potential, use of tools and the exploitation of opportunities offered by digitalisation in thirteen countries. The authors primarily examined the impact of the level of digital infrastructure and the frequency of Internet use on digital skills. It is outlined from statistics that Scandinavian countries have a leading role in the digital competition. Nevertheless, our results throw light on the individual level that digital skills forcefully improve during browsing on the internet, and practical activities have a significant role in development, which the authors named PMP.