The Slovak ‘Digital Arrow’ project aims to empower girls throughout Slovakia be confident and educated users of technology.
The project is placed well within core EU ambitions for the next decade (the EU Digital Decade targets) – seeing 80% of EU citizens be digitally-literate, and reaching 20 million ICT experts in employment in Europe by 2030.
About this initiative
The focus of the ‘Digital arrow’ project in Slovakia is to bring digital skills closer to girls – and the IT sphere and digital careers too. With this aim, the project addresses several challenges present in the Slovak digital skills and jobs landscape, but specifically the shortage of girls going into STEM and ICT education, and subsequently – in the job market.
Why is this a good practice?
The initiative has succeeded in bringing about concrete results since its kick-off. Its focus on empowering girls to discover their potential in IT and in digital careers makes it relevant, transparent, and up-to-date with the latest trends and challenges in the field of digital skills and jobs. Within the scope of the initiative, 2 innovative tests have been developed – a testament also to its accessibility and ambition to engage parents and teachers too.
‘Digital Arrow’ is also scalable: as an initiative, it is designed to remain accessible for all. It scores high in accessibility also due to its user-friendly design and alignment with students’, parents’ and teachers’ needs alike. Finally, it has the potential to be replicated as a good practice in other contexts, regions and for other target groups, or even Member States.
In June 2025, the Labour Market Diagnostic Mechanism was introduced as a good practice in all the practices of the European Commission’s European Network of Public Employment Services (PES), including practices reflecting EU employment policy in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy.
Anticipating skills needs
The Greek labour market is evolving rapidly. Within this framework, the Labour Market Diagnostic Mechanism, an online labour market monitoring tool that combines big data analysis with job demand and skills data has been developed that offers solutions for more effective employment services and labour-market policies.
The tool helps anticipate skills needs, with a view to improving labour market information and enhancing the services provided to public employment services counsellors, jobseekers and employers.
It operates under the supervision of the public employment service (DYPA) and the Unit of Experts for Employment, Social Security, Welfare and Social Affairs (MEKY) of the Greek Ministry of Labour and Social Security, and is a pioneering initiative that brings innovation to the monitoring and forecasting of skills needs.
The Facility, which was upgraded in 2024, uses data from the Ergani job register, the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) and the ESCO European Skills Classification System to map the most sought-after skills by sector, demographic group and region. This tool was initially tested in the IT and communications and pharmaceutical sectors, with plans to expand to all economic sectors by the end of 2025.
The initiative is supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) and is part of the Human Resources Development and Social Cohesion programme 2021–2027.
Why is this a good practice?
The Mechanism is an excellent practice for both the Greek and the European labour market for the following reasons:
Data-based analysis: It combines data from multiple sources (Ergani, ELSTAT, ESCO) to provide accurate skills forecasts, overcoming the challenges of traditional surveys based on questionnaires. This allows for a rapid and reliable mapping of labour market needs.
Reinforcement of DYPA services: The tool helps employment advisers to provide more targeted services by improving the match between unemployed and vacancies.
In 2024, 861 advisors and 53 senior DYPA officials received training in the use of the Facility, enhancing the efficiency of their services.
Adaptation of educational programmes: The results of the Facility lead to the reform of curricula in the vocational education and training (VET) institutions of DYPA, ensuring that educational offers are relevant to current and future market needs.
Support for enterprises and employees: By using the European ESCO classification and validation through Employers Focus Groups, the Facility helps businesses identify the required technical skills and invest in the training of their employees.
Flexibility and adaptability: The tool has a user-friendly interactive interface that allows for the selection of demographic or local data, making it accessible to different audiences, such as policy makers, employment advisers and students.
Contribution to policymaking: the Mechanism provided documentation for the update of the National Strategy for Upskilling and Connecting to the Labour Market, which received a positive assessment from the National Labour Force Skills Council .
Results and benefits
The Facility has delivered significant results:
Improved employment services: trained consultants to use skills forecasts to better match jobs and the unemployed.
Targeted policies: support evidence-based active labour market policies, reducing imbalances between skills supply and demand.
Strengthening vocational training: VET institutions receive regular information on skills needs, enabling adaptation of their programmes.
Labour market resilience: helps prevent unemployment and strengthen labour market resilience through preventive measures.
Lessons and success factors
The Labour Market Needs Diagnosis Mechanism is an exemplary practice that brings Greece closer to a modern, evidence-based and flexible labour market. The success of the Mechanism is due to its simplified presentation of complex data, regular training of consultants and validation of results through employer focus groups.
A key lesson is the need for continuous training of users on the tool and its adaptation to more user-friendly formats, such as the provision of unemployment indicators by occupation and region.
By using advanced technologies and data, the tool not only improves DYPA services but also strengthens the link between education, employers and employees, contributing to a more resilient and competitive economy. Its extension to all sectors by the end of 2025 will further strengthen the dynamics of the Greek labour market, and make it a model for other countries to emulate.
The “Innovators for Artificial Intelligence (AI)” initiative is implemented by the non-profit organisation Science For You – SciFY and the ahedd Digital Innovation Hub of the National Centre for Natural Sciences (NCSR) “Demokritos”, with the support of the US Embassy in Athens and the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, and aims to train 1,000 Pioneers in Artificial Intelligence in Greece.
Purpose of the Initiative
The main goal of this initiative is to create an active community of 1,000 Pioneers in Greece who will know and can co-shape human-centric Artificial Intelligence (AI), leverage Artificial Intelligence to innovate and shape a better future for all.
The trained community of 1,000 will be composed of members of all professional categories such as:
entrepreneurs, high-level private business executives, IT executives
IT executives, IT students, tech workers, science researchers
Social/Political Scientists
involved in education (Gymnasium/Lyceum, Business, IT, Political Science, Social Sciences)
This community will be trained through an innovative program and will be networked and stimulated to be able to mobilize forces and collaborations in key sectors of the economy and society utilizing the latest technological developments.
The project includes
the training of 1,000 pioneers,
the website “AI in Greece“, which will be the central point of reference. It will inform about the developments, about the achievements of the 1,000 Pioneers for AI in Greece, will include articles on AI, educational content, etc.
the creation of a supportive community of researchers, experts, consultants, etc. (from Greece and abroad) who will have knowledge, motivation and the ability to contribute with their knowledge and support services. This enhances the sustainability of the project,
a networking and exchange platform of 1,000.
Training of the 1,000 frontrunners of the initiative
The training will combine theory and encouragement in practical application. It will be specifically designed for each different target group, and will include:
theoretical education (training, attending seminars, buying/offering a book),
action: organisation of at least one action on their own initiative, or participation in at least one initiative of another party (e.g. participation in a consultation).
The training will be completed in 3 years, with the aim of training 200 people in the first year, 300 in the second, and 500 in the third.
What is the expected impact?
The ultimate goal is to co-shape and leverage AI to increase impact primarily in the following areas:
the daily lives of citizens: understanding how AI works, avoiding undue fear of fake news, participating in consultations on AI,
the economy: taking entrepreneurial initiatives, creating new services, increasing innovation, creating competitive advantages,
AI policy making: raising awareness of AI issues, helping to create an appropriate regulatory framework, protecting citizens’ rights, fostering AI-enabled entrepreneurship,
impact of civil society action: leveraging AI tools to strengthen democracy, pluralism and more effective protection of citizens’ rights;
preparing young scientists to make use of AI, regardless of their field of knowledge;
strengthening the tools and role of Digital Humanities;
better formulation and more effective implementation of the ongoing National Strategy on AI
Why is it a good practice?
AI is already changing our present and future with applications in all areas of our lives. AI skills and knowledge significantly influence the demand for relevant professionals, while companies that make effective use of AI can innovate and grow through appropriate training. At the same time, proper understanding and knowledge of AI can mitigate both the risks and the unpredictable conditions created by this new technology.
New practices for the development of ethical AI systems also require the development of digital skills for human resources and there is a strong need to shape AI in a human-centric and ethical way. SciFY has trained more than 1,500 people to date in AI, participates in the DIGITAL SME Focus Group on AI, the European Commission initiative (AI Watch) and the European DIGITAL SME Alliance consisting of almost 40 AI experts representing companies from all over Europe.
