Spain | Digital skills: what are they and who has them?

The percentage of the population that has at least basic digital skills is lower in Spain than in the EMU as a whole and fell between 2015 and 2019. Although it rose in 2020 to 60% (65% of Internet users), it is far of the 80% target established in the 2025 Digital Agenda.

Key points

• Key points:
• Improving digital skills has a positive impact on the economy, education, public services, financial inclusion, security and political participation.
• To understand the dynamics of digital skills, it is essential to have an analysis of each of the four dimensions that make up the indicator: information, communication, problem solving and software.
• Age, employment status, frequent use of the Internet and education are the most relevant variables to explain the differences in digital skills, both at the aggregate level and in its four dimensions. In addition, having ICT equipment at home (computer or tablet) increases the probability of having advanced digital skills by more than 20 points.
• Women, foreigners, residents of sparsely populated areas, and households with two or more adults are 3 to 7 points less likely to have advanced digital skills, even after eliminating the impact of income differences.
• To optimally allocate the resources of the NGEU (3,600 million euros to promote training and digital inclusion), the segmentation of individuals according to their personal characteristics and their environment is key.

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