A few weeks ago we reported the data of a Comscore research, which highlighted the relationship between Italians and the Internet.
Two elements essentially emerged from the investigation. The first was the growth in the number of fellow citizens who use the Internet every month: 40.9 million people, 75% of the adult population. A certain generation gap was then revealed: if compared with television consumption, digital entertainment constitutes 65% of the time spent in the 18-24 age group, compared to 16% of those over 45.
However the use of the Net does not mean awareness, as another survey shows, which we accounted for in a recent article. According to the Cyber & Digital protection report created for Europ Assistance by Lexis Research, in fact, there is little culture around online safety. Only 41% of the sample interviewed often change their credentials, while 15% never or almost never change them.
What, then, is the relationship between Italians and digital? Here comes the answer from the Salesforce Global Digital Skills Index 2022.
The Salesforce Global Report
The Salesforce Global Digital Skills Index 2022 is a Salesforce research that was conducted in 19 countries.
Salesforce, a Californian cloud computing company leader in Customer Relationship Management services, has set up a global survey, which involved 23,621 people aged between 18 and 65, chosen from 19 states on five continents.
Globally, 73% of respondents said they do not have the digital skills companies are looking for right now. 76% believe they do not have the key digital skills for the future.
And while 82% of respondents plan to learn new skills in the next five years, only 28% are already attending training courses on the subject.
Italians and digital
For Italy, 1327 people replied. The results of the survey regarding the sample from our country were published on Thursday 17 February on the official Salesforce website in Italian.
And they are even less exciting than the already lackluster global situation. So how is the relationship between Italians and digital? In our country, the percentage of those who admitted that they do not have the digital skills necessary for companies rises to 86%. While 87% feel unprepared for the next five years. And just 17%, compared to 28% globally, is already following ad hoc training courses.
It Salesforce Index
Based on the digital confidence of the sample interviewed, Salesforce assigned a Salesforce Index to each country. The parameters considered are preparation, skill level, access and active participation in updating digital skills. The 19 countries surveyed had a score that fluctuated from a minimum of 15 to a maximum of 65. The world average is 33, and Italy – with its Salesforce Index of 25 – is below this. average.
Italy, digital and generations
The relationship between Italians and the digital world is obviously, at least for now, to be improved.
The attitude of the youngest among the interviewees, who proved to be the most confident, returns hope
The survey divides the sample into four age groups: baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) and generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012).
In Italy, 81% of Generation Z (versus 64% of the global sample) believe they have an advanced level in social skillseven though only 19% believe they have the digital skills necessary for today’s world of work.
As for the desire to get involved to fill the gaps on digital, good news from the very young. In our country, 26% of generation Z (but globally we are 37%) will intend to train to fill their gaps, compared to 19% of millennials and only 7% of baby boomers.
La Digital Talent Factory
Italians’ lack of confidence in digital has prompted Salesforce to “allow anyone to learn and exploit the digital skills necessary for today’s and tomorrow’s jobs,” as Salesforce’s country leader for Italy Mauro Solimene explains.
With this in mind the Digital Talent Factory was born, a virtual place where you can get information, discover tailor-made paths according to your skills and aspire to find a job in the digital world, thanks to the collaboration with prestigious companies. They are, says Solimene, “critical paths towards the new economy” that can allow “anyone to build dynamic careers, companies and communities together with our technologies.”