Despite the fact that Spain occupies the seventh position among the most digitized countries in Europe, a very high percentage of the population does not have basic digital skills, specifically, 35.8%.
This is one of the conclusions drawn by the study Impact of digital transformation in Spain: 1998-2023 , carried out by Nae , a consultancy specialized in the telecommunications sector, together with the Orange Foundation.
The study titled “Impact of digital transformation in Spain: 1998-2023” emphasizes the presence of digital gaps, including those based on geographical location and age, which continue to contribute to inequality in the country.
According to the European Commission’s Digital Decade 2030 program, the objective is to ensure that at least 80% of the population possesses basic digital skills by the end of the decade. However, Spain falls short of this target, with only 64.2% of the population currently equipped with the necessary skills. Bridging this gap is crucial for Spain’s progression towards complete digitization.
Daniel Morales, the Director of Sustainability at Orange and the Orange Foundation, responsible for promoting digital skills training among marginalized groups, explains, “Some social groups have not been able to enjoy the benefits that digitization offers when it comes to finding quality work or adapting to increasingly technological environments.” These groups face challenges in securing employment opportunities and navigating the digital landscape.
Connectivity plays a vital role in measuring digitization, and Spain performs exceptionally well in this regard. It surpasses neighboring countries such as France, Germany, and Italy in terms of internet access and holds the top position among European nations. Additionally, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ranks Spain third globally for households connected with fiber, following South Korea and Japan. However, despite these achievements, Spain still lags behind in digital skills, ranking tenth in Europe, according to Silvia Alonso, Director of Transformation at Nae.
Alonso highlights two significant gaps that need addressing. Firstly, the digital divide between rural and urban areas persists as a major challenge. While public administrations have made considerable efforts to provide connectivity to remote regions, further work is required to bridge the remaining gap and ensure equal access for all citizens. Although progress has been made, with the rural-urban digital divide reducing from 18% in 2004 to 4% in 2022, there is still a long way to go.
The second significant gap is associated with age. Individuals over the age of 75 face specific challenges in adopting digital technologies. They not only require simpler devices but also need training to develop the necessary digital skills. The study indicates that the age gap in digital skills is much higher than the overall percentage of users.
While progress has been made in reducing the gender gap in digital skills, the study highlights the underrepresentation of women in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) careers. Although the number of women using the internet has caught up with men, women still lag behind in ICT-related jobs, especially in fields like artificial intelligence. The report emphasizes
