Accelerated digitization has created a growing need in the labor market for niche-based digital skills programs and IT & software development upskilling courses. It is based on creativity and ambition to evolve, and the need for digitization. We live in an era of digitalization, digital conversion, and even a new industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) on this level that involves learning and knowing new mechanisms. It has reached the point where their need for digital skills impacts both people working in the IT & C field and employees in other industries who need to adapt to changes in the labor market.

Technological development influences training standards 

The dynamic pace of change, including in the labor market such as the growth of engineers and data analysts and the expansion of the IT sector in technology such as IoT, AI, Big Data, and Enterprise cybersecurity solutions, draw new expectations for training systems in worldwide. Romania is facing a short gap between the required digital skills and the low level of digital literacy.

Although there are learning opportunities nowadays, Romania is not very good in terms of digitalization, occupying the penultimate place in the European Union, according to the DESI index. In terms of the size of human capital, Romania ranks 27th among EU countries, well below the EU average. The primary and advanced digital skills levels remain the lowest among the Member States of the European Union. Data show that less than a third of the population aged 16-74 have basic digital skills, meaning that 29% (57% at EU level) and 10% have advanced skills (compared to an EU average of 31 %). Despite the increase in the percentage of IT specialists, they represent a smaller proportion of the workforce than the EU (2.1% compared to the EU average of 3.7%).

Given the above, AROBS Transilvania Software has implemented a new project to offer advanced training courses in technical fields. Within the Advanced Training Support project, which benefits from European funds provided by the Human Capital Operational Program, the company will contribute to the employees’ education and training in our offices in Cluj-Napoca, Baia Mare, Arad, Târgu-Mureș, Suceava, and Iași.

Digital skills – essential in the technological age

The project’s objective is to improve the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the economic sectors identified by The National Strategy for Research, Development, and Innovation for 156 people. The project’s total value is 2,320,744.00, of which AROBS Transilvania Software will bear 50% of the costs.

At the same time, with the help of training programs to develop digital skills, the objective responds to the needs of competitive growth to support the enterprise’s activity through innovation and market development. Thus, it was decided to organize programs for courses in Programming (Java, .NET, PHP, JavaScript, QA Automation) and Cybersecurity.

A culture of continuous development

Over time, the company has adopted an organizational culture based on involvement and continuous development in which employees are always encouraged to have a say, and their initiatives are supported. Thus, one of the internal methods adopted within the AROBS company is to collect the training needs, which is also a way of evaluating employees.

Two of AROBS’s strategic development directions are the service strategy by developing new areas of expertise, which are in high demand in the global software services market, and the continuous transfer of in-house knowledge to future generations of programmers and hardware specialists.

Another strategy involves motivating and retaining employees by adopting the following objectives:

• Increasing professional development opportunities by supporting the costs of their studies through various programs,
• Increasing the level of integration and communication between employees by organizing regular “Team-buildings,”
• Co-interest of employees in the smooth running of the company through the financial mechanism of the “stock option plan” type based on the remuneration policy adopted at the group level.

Adaptability and innovation

The purpose of the courses organized within the project is to enhance the employees’ knowledge and skills. Thus, participating in the classes contained within the project will increase the company workforce’s skills in the long run. The training programs will provide the necessary support to the employees to face the new requirements that will appear in the workplace, such as the auxiliary services or the need to develop new products and innovative services that will ensure their competitiveness in the economic environment.

AROBS Transilvania Software is one of the companies that specialize in providing software development services. In parallel with this essential activity, the company has engaged, over the years, in training activities, actions designed to develop the professional digital skills of employees or other categories of beneficiaries. Most of the training actions are internally intended for their employees or include internship programs for future generations. In these programs, participants can become familiar with the software development activity, and, thanks to the training sessions, it later allows the participants to be employed within the company. It has also been implemented for several years, in partnership with UBB and UTCN universities in Cluj-Napoca, various training programs to develop entrepreneurial, digital, and innovation skills aimed at people interested in evolving professionally.