Digital Skills Training Project for the ICT and Related Sectors
Project No. 2.3.1.2.i.0/2/23/A/CFLA/001
On 19 September of this year, during a meeting of the Sector Expert Council for Electronic and Optical Equipment Manufacturing, Information and Communication Technologies (EIKT NEP) of the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia, experts discussed their conclusions regarding participation in the professional qualification examinations for the “Computer Systems Technician” at various educational institutions.
A. Dūda reported that he participated in the examination at Riga State Technical School. He noted that the students’ level of preparedness is good, but recommended including more questions on cybersecurity. He also emphasized that during the practical part, students should be allowed to use mobile phones and the internet, as in real life it is important to know how to find the necessary information.
I. Putniņš participated in the examination at Riga Technical College and acknowledged that the students are knowledgeable and interested in technology. He stressed the importance of cooperation with the company Mikrotik, but suggested using routers from other manufacturers as well. He pointed out the outdated material and technical resources and called for providing newer-generation demo computers. He also emphasized the need to improve Latvian language skills for better understanding of technical specifications.
D. Zariņš participated in the examination at Ogre Technical School and stated that the school handled the tasks well. He noted that although the computers were not the newest, Mikrotik routers were used, and students successfully completed tasks related to installing Windows and Linux operating systems. He emphasized that the examination was conducted at a high level and encouraged representatives of other companies to participate as well.
Overall, the experts concluded that the students’ level of preparedness is good, but highlighted the need to include more cybersecurity-related questions and to improve the material and technical base. They also emphasized the importance of cooperation with technology companies and the need to improve Latvian language skills for understanding technical specifications.
What is the Digital Development Roadmap?
The Digital Development or Transformation Roadmap is a document we issue to companies that apply for support programmes to receive funding or training within a programme, or that apply for our services, which include technological consultations, assessments, and prototyping. This document reflects the company’s digital maturity—what stage of digital maturity it is currently in, our recommendations on necessary activities, skill development, employee training, as well as the desired outcome: how the transformation has progressed within the context of the Digital Development Roadmap.
What information is included in the Digital Development Roadmap?
The maturity test has two parts.Part A is created by the European Commission and includes segmented questions about the technologies used.Part B consists of our own questions, through which we determine the company’s previous experience, export potential, team competencies, training needs, the areas in which learning is required, and what results this will bring. Essentially, it is a descriptive questionnaire that the company completes to provide additional information about itself.The results of both parts are combined, and this forms the Digital Development Roadmap.
What opportunities does the Digital Development Roadmap provide for members of the Latvian Computer Technology Association?
In the computer technology sector, one highly relevant topic is digital marketing—because whenever we create something, we want someone to use or consume it. If software is created, then digital project management methods—such as Agile, Scrum, and others—are extremely important today in the ICT field. Very few companies still work using the “waterfall” principle, because we want to continuously work on a product, develop an MVP, gradually add new features, and bring it to market as quickly as possible. Therefore, project management skills are the most essential skills in the industry!
How does the evaluation of companies take place?
Company evaluation includes administrative criteria.We check whether the company has any tax debts, which must not exceed EUR 150 at the time of the check.We retrieve information from penalty registers to determine whether the company or its related persons have had any violations related to illegal employment, tax evasion, etc.
If everything is in order, the third point is checking the availability of de minimis support—state aid that allows a company to receive up to EUR 300,000 over a 3-year period. Companies already using various EU programme services spend their de minimis faster, but others may not have used it at all. If the company has remaining de minimis, we can use it to provide our services.
We also check DNSH compliance—“Do No Significant Harm”—meaning the company’s planned project must not harm the environment. For example, in waste processing companies where environmental risks are possible, we ensure and confirm that the planned project will not cause environmental damage.
If no non-compliance is found during these checks, we approve the support. The first services provided are the maturity test and the roadmap.When applying for further services, a new scoring round follows—these are qualitative criteria evaluating the company’s past experience, competencies, export potential of its products, and readiness to develop or adopt digital solutions. The scoring scale is 0 to 10, and a minimum of 35 points is required to qualify for support. In practice, achieving this is quite easy—so far, no company has failed to qualify, as the service is designed to provide companies with opportunities to digitalize.
What should be considered when receiving state support?
State support under de minimis is registered in the Ministry of Finance system.The company can access the Electronic Declaration System (EDS), where the de minimis form is available.We usually send companies the form and instructions on how to submit it. As mentioned, each company can receive up to EUR 300,000 over three years. If the company has not used its de minimis, we allocate it directly in the system.This is simple, and companies do not need to worry—the form can be submitted within minutes.
What is the role of training in company development?
Training plays a crucial role in company development. It is important not only to send employees to courses, but to choose targeted training. We recommend and can provide an external analysis of what employees actually need to learn.
For example, a company may say its employees lack Excel skills—but not just any Excel course will be suitable. Each company needs specific skills. Therefore, it is essential to choose targeted training that provides employees with knowledge they will truly use in their work.
If this process is handled correctly, it creates an opportunity for the company to grow. Knowledgeable leadership alone is not enough—employees also need to be professionals in their fields. Skills and knowledge at the employee level are extremely important.
A hackathon, or technology marathon – an environment for experimentation and idea creation
“Latvia’s ambition is to become the most friendly country for the implementation of trustworthy artificial intelligence. Hackathons play an important role in achieving this ambition, as they provide a safe environment for experimentation and idea generation, promoting the rapid development of innovative solutions within a short timeframe. By using unified platforms, specialists from different fields can collaborate, create, and test new ideas. We are currently developing opportunities for further development and implementation of these ideas also in public administration, including prototype creation through the state programme ‘Digital Academy’. A programme will also be created for the targeted introduction of artificial intelligence innovations in the public sector,” shares Gatis Ozols, Deputy State Secretary for Digital Transformation at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM), regarding the implementation of hackathons.
Source: epale.ec.europa.eu
Design Skills in Business: From Basics to Creating Effective Advertisements, Presentations, and Other Visual Solutions
Instructor:Patrīcija Patmalniece
TRAINING COURSE CONTENT:
• How to quickly and effectively create a visual base and guidelines using Canva• Creating a brand or product visual identity with AI and other digital tools• Designing individual and effective advertising materials in Canva for social media (Facebook, Instagram) or a website• How to create visually appealing presentations in Canva and other tools• Crafting your product story using ChatGPT and other tools• Designing the customer website experience (UX) using Miro• User interaction with a website (UI), creating a simple website design• Brand book, its application and organization• Design handbook for entrepreneurs and managers
Latvian Computer Technology Association
Offers a training project:“Digital Skills Training Project for the ICT and Related Sectors”Project No. 2.3.1.2.i.0/2/23/A/CFLA/001The project is implemented until 30 June 2026.Applications for new training sessions within the project are open throughout the project duration.Please apply by sending an information request to apmacibas@itnet.lv
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