EU Set to Miss 20 Million ICT Jobs Goal by 5 Million as Training Lags
Updated
Updated · RTÉ News · Jul 27
EU Set to Miss 20 Million ICT Jobs Goal by 5 Million as Training Lags
1 articles · Updated · RTÉ News · Jul 27
Summary
Eurofound projects the EU will be 5 million ICT specialists short of its 20 million Digital Decade target by 2030, despite the sector’s rapid expansion.
10.3 million ICT specialists were employed in the EU in 2024, up 81% from 5.6 million in 2011, but education and vocational training systems are still failing to meet demand.
Non-EU labour migration has become a primary recruitment driver, while women made up fewer than 1 in 5 ICT specialists in 2024 and the sector’s gender pay gap was nearly 20% in 2022.
Ireland’s ICT workforce rose to 6.3% of total employment in 2024 from 4.7% in 2011, above the EU average of 5%, but its share of workers aged 35 or under trailed the bloc at 34.4% versus 37.2%.
Eurofound said the shortfall will require targeted policies to boost domestic talent supply, mobility and female participation rather than changes to job quality, which it said is already above average.