ESSA Software Alliance

The European Software Skills Alliance (funded by the European Commission) will work together to develop, implement and disseminate a new Software Skills Strategy that will tackle the current and future skills shortages in the European Software Sector, enabling continuous development, innovation and competitiveness within the industry.

All partners will work together to ensure that the new Software Skills Strategy is driven by employers’ demand for software skills and combines VET education provision and work-based learning initiatives to implement fast-track upskilling and reskilling. The new strategy and VET solution are directly linked with recognised European instruments, tools and standards enabling skills and career development in general. In addition, new mechanisms will be included to ensure the continuous implementation across programme countries throughout four years of the project and beyond its completion.

01 December 2020 - 31 December 2024

• Website ESSA softwareskills.eu
• Follow the ESSA newsletter
• ESSA LinkedIn Group
• Needs Analysis Rapport - Europe’s Most Needed Software Roles and Skills
• Presentation Key Findings 2021 Needs Analysis Report
• Article: The Software Skills and Professionals You Need in Your Team
• Article: The Top 4 Skills for Software Professionals 
• Article: 2021 Retrospective: The Good, the Bad, and the Merry
• Article: NL Case Study - Digitale certificaten voor de erkenning van niet formele educatie
• Blog HU Professor Pascal Ravesteijn: Towards an European Software Skills Strategy
• ESSA highlights Launch event
• ESSA Case Study Booklet - 12 ideas to tackle the shortage of Software Professionals in Europe
• To be distributed > scientific issue: Bridge the Gap: ICT Competences and Vocational Education and Training

 

ESSA Community
ESSA created the ESSA Software Skills community to connect individuals who aspire to answer the up- and reskilling needs of the software sector in Europe. The community focuses on the following topics: software, skills development, teaching & learning, training, human resources, technology, and careers.

The project consists of six, so called, working packages that together cover the total activity agenda of the program. The research group Process Innovation & Information Systems is actively involved in all working packages as well as co-lead for working package four 'piloting and testing of the curriculum'. Important deliverables of this package are:

• Modular VET Training Programs to implement the new VET Curricula, each consisting of a set of modules that together will cover the learning outcomes
• Set up and run pilot VET training programs across different target groups in 7 EU partner countries, measure effectiveness, gather feedback and iterate and improve the training programs
• Embed a work-based learning component into the new training programs with opportunities to apply knowledge in practical "real life" situations related to each role and including trans-national learning experience where possible
• A Train-The-Trainer Program will also be designed to facilitate the upskilling of VET trainers with the knowledge, confidence and tools to deliver the training to the highest quality standards

ESSA aims to develop innovative and comprehensive VET curriculum customised for various role and job profiles and underlying competences, knowledge and skills needed in the sector. An analysis of market and business needs will be conducted at the beginning of the project in order to prepare a concrete data-based foundation for the development and implementation of both the Software Skills Strategy and the VET programmes. To ensure continuous upskilling we will embed a work-based learning / CPD component into the new training programmes including practical "real life" training scenarios related to each role. After testing the developed educational material in a pilot it will be rolled out across curricula in higher educational institutes and commercial training companies.

Further information:

• DigitalEurope.org
• Erasmus+ subside: 621751-EPP-1-2020-1-BE-EPPKA2-SSA-B