Croatia has highly developed digital skills among young people aged 16 to 29
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Loading... - Marta Babic
- 06 Jun 2022
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Driven by the idea of helping decision-makers accelerate the digital transformation of society, Microsoft presented the Digital Futures Index survey. The index shows the level of digitalization of 16 European countries, including Croatia. In addition to the current level of digitalization of the country, it detects the most prosperous areas but also the areas where there is more work to accelerate the process of digital transformation and achieve the country’s full potential. We talked to Tatjana Skoko, Advisor for CEE Manufacturing Industries and Representative of Microsoft Croatia, about best results achieved in the country as well as the fields where there is room for improvement.
Why is this research important for Croatia?
This research is important because it shows the current state of digitalization in Croatia – specifically in digital business, digital government and public sector, digital infrastructure, digital sector, and human capital. In addition, it helps us to understand and compare our digitalization level with the one in the neighboring countries, but also Poland, the Czech Republic, and Estonia. The goal is to define our current position and detect areas for progress.
When it comes to countries in the region, Croatia has excellent results in the field of talent and skills; Slovenia excels in digital competitiveness and digitalization of the education system, and Serbia has above-average results in exports of IT services and the number of women in the IT industry. On the other hand, an excellent opportunity for all countries lies in digitalizing public services.
The question now is how we can support society, learn from each other and accelerate digital development. The fact is that digitally more advanced countries have proven to be greener, richer, more innovative, and more competitive.
How can we prevent our experts from leaving the country?
Croatia has many talents and a high level of digital skills, especially among young people aged 16 to 29. Acquiring new skills is one of the crucial ways to retain talent, and luckily, there are companies that invest in talent development. It is essential to ensure that talents stay in Croatia by creating new jobs and opportunities for IT professionals and entrepreneurs. Croatia’s entrepreneurial talent is also reflected in the number of startups that are above the average for Central and Eastern Europe.
Croatian startups can use the support we provide through our Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, which combines technology, expert guidance, and support they need to reach the next stage of their development. Our platform allows Microsoft-qualified startups to use free Azure loans worth up to $ 150,000, get free access to development and productivity tools, benefit from mentoring support from business leaders and technology experts, and receive special startup offers from Microsoft partners.
How much does the ICT sector contribute to the domestic economy?
Croatian technology companies are extremely important for the economy. The ICT sector contributes enormously to the country’s GDP and drives digital development as technology companies take the lead in introducing digital tools and innovating business processes.
Croatia is on the right track. Digital growth has accelerated over the last two years; for example, citizens are increasingly interacting with public institutions through digital technology. What is missing is a greater number of digitalized public services. A good example from which we can learn is Estonia, where 99% of public services can be requested and obtained online. Read More...
