Adaptation to the labour market in the digital economy

The project aims at increasing the number of experts on the labour market in one specific area, namely in the field of cyber security This can be achieved by the preparation of secondary vocational schools founded by the region and their students, for the new challenges presented by digital economy. This can take the form of the introduction of thematically focused state-of-the-art forms of teaching.

Liberec Region has built a network of Vocational Education Centres, which are to serve as the backbone network of a high-quality regional education system within the framework of educating students before entering the labour market. The long-term vision of the centres is to serve as the major provider of lifelong learning as well and to cooperate closely with the companies in the region in this process. One of these centres is, for example, the Centre for Vocational Training in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, which perceives the relevance of increasing professional knowledge in the field of data processing in the production process.

The continuous challenge is to respond to the new needs of employers with regard to the dynamically changing labour market and the emerging trends of the so-called Industry 4.0. With the transfer of activities of companies, public administration and individuals to virtual space, cyber security is becoming an increasingly pressing topic. It is also one of the key chapters of the Digital Europe 2021-2027 program.

Data protection is one of the basic challenges for the business and public administration environment. However, the region still lacks the necessary infrastructure and know-how to provide education in this field. This applies both to the field of initial education (before entering the labour market) and to continuing education. The available statistics, field surveys and outputs of communication platforms show a lack of experts in the ICT professions (information and communication technologies). ICT itself finds application in a wide range of application fields. There are more and more partial specializations in it. The topic of cyber security is naturally intertwined across all these fields. It could be said that security in virtual space is the basis for the successful employment of all the benefits that modern times offer us.

Our goals

• To increase the adaptability of students and pupils to the needs of the digital economy of the future

• To increase the competitiveness of the population and business entities of Liberec Region on the European labour market

• To increase awareness and literacy in cyber security issues among students, in the public and private spheres and ultimately among the general public

• To increase the number of ICT experts specializing in cyber security (graduates and teachers)

• To initiate the establishment of a professional base to ensure the security of cyberspace for the needs of the business sphere (e.g., in the fields of data protection, production processes, etc.)

Junior centre for cyber security

Preparatory work for the establishment of a specialized centre for cyber security is being carried out intensively on the layout of the Agency for Regional Development and the Regional Authority of Liberec Region. It is to be established at a selected secondary vocational school, but its usability for other schools in the region, companies and public administration is expected. The establishment of the centre requires investment in infrastructure for cyber data security simulations and for solving problems within the framework of cyber security. The plans include the development of a study program taking account of the needs of regional industries, the building of a methodological centre for teachers and the creation of follow-up courses in cooperation with employers.