Digital skills and labour opportunities for low-skilled women

Arroyo Prieto, Lidia [Open University of Catalunya] Valenduc, Gérard [UCL]

With the rise in importance of digital technologies in the economy, digital skills are one of new demands for the workforce. This represents news challenges for gender equality, as digital skills are unequally distributed and low-educated women are the most disadvantaged social group. To what extent can the acquisition of digital competences be an asset for improving the labour market position of low-educated women in the digital economy? An analysis of ICT training initiatives of NGOs identifies some key elements to be considered to bridge the employment gap of those women. However, digital skills themselves do not lead to an improvement of their position in the labour market. More gender equality and more job opportunities for less educated women are needed.