The contribution of digital technology training to the digital competency gap. A case study from Austria

Abstract

[EN] In this paper we ask to what extent additional digital training courses improve young people’s abilities to solve everyday digital tasks. We use survey data on digital skills, including an assessment of digital competency tasks, collected among adolescents and young adults (14-35 years) in Austria in 2023. The results show that different types of training correlate in both ways: positively (when it comes to basic training) and negatively (when it comes to specialised training). However, regression models including contextual factors such as gender, education and general attitudes towards technology, show that not all effects persist. The paper concludes that additional digital training can have an effect, but educational measures should also put a focus on strengthening positive attitudes towards digital technologies to promote digital competencies. Note: The Digital Skills Austria studies 2022 & 2023 were financed by the Austrian regulatory authority RTR (Rundfunk- und Telekomregulierungs-GmbH).