The curtains have closed on Lisbon’s highly anticipated Web Summit 2023. We’re excited to unveil a compilation featuring the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) our team encountered at our lively booth during this extraordinary gathering of innovators, talent, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts from across the globe.
Q. Can Pledgers be involved in the initiative if they are outside of the EU?
A. Yes, they can, as long as they pledge actions to support the goal of upskilling EU residents in deep tech.
Q. As a Pledger, how can we network with other Pledgers?
A. The Deep Tech Talent Initiative team has exciting plans ahead! Various events and networking opportunities, including Pledger drop-in sessions and monthly online meet-ups, are in the pipeline. Stay tuned, there’s a whole lineup of events to come!
Q. After talents have been trained, does the initiative assist with finding work opportunities?
A. Some of the training offered by Pledgers already aims to assist talents in finding a job matching their new skills in deep tech; take a look! However, The Deep Tech Talent Initiative’s platform is evolving and aiming to offer a matchmaking feature between talents and job opportunities as the next phase.
Q. How will the Deep Tech Talent Initiative courses link to the European Skills, Competences, and Occupations (ESCO) database?
A. Currently, our courses aren’t directly connected to the ESCO database. However, ESCO stands out as a fantastic tool for shaping and harmonising learners’ skills profiles with job requirements. We’re monitoring deep tech skills within their database and are anticipating the moment when they become more extensive, enabling us to integrate them seamlessly.
Q. Are there funding opportunities for deep tech start-ups or Pledgers?
A. Absolutely! Annually, we introduce a fresh funding opportunity. In 2023, we unveiled the Deep Tech Talent Prize, which awarded funding to Pledgers addressing challenges in deep tech training programmes across Europe. As we move into the first quarter of 2024, we’re gearing up to announce a call for proposals aligned with the Horizon Europe rules and guidelines. This funding opportunity aims to foster the development of innovative deep tech training programmes.
Q. Is joining the Pledge free?
A. It certainly is, and you can find out more about joining as a Pledger as well as registering here.
Q. As a company that is not developing any training programmes, am I still allowed to participate in the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative?
A. Yes, you are. Companies have the flexibility to either publish their own programmes or pledge to ensure that some of their staff/partners enrol in any of the existing programmes available on our platform.
Q. What do you mean by course/programme?
A. In order to be eligible for publication on our training platform, a course/programme must meet some basic requirements:
- Have a deep tech-focus
- Have a minimum duration of 50 hours, equivalent to 2 ECTS credits
Any programme adhering to these requirements can be deemed eligible. This encompasses a wide range of initiatives, such as university programmes, individual modules, hackathons, online training sessions, summer schools and more. Furthermore, these programmes can be conducted in various formats, including online, hybrid or in-person.
The team carefully reviews all programmes to determine if they meet the criteria for our quality checkmark and can be published on the website. If adjustments are needed for acceptance, we provide guidance to ensure they meet our standards before being published.
If you have a specific course or programme in mind but would like to discuss its eligibility, please contact the Team info@eitdeeptechtalent.eu.
Q. What does the Deep Tech Talent Initiative offer for public institutions like local authorities and governments?
A. If public institutions aren’t currently running training programmes, they can still become Pledgers and play a pivotal role by:
- Contributing to raising awareness about the initiative. The goal is to create a robust network of Pledgers and talents. Public institutions, as part of this network, have the potential to mobilise local, regional and national resources to support talent development.
- Collaborating with key stakeholders to identify both current and future deep tech skills and training needs, along with understanding employer and employment requirements within their geographic area, business sector and other areas of responsibility.
- Engaging with education and training providers to ensure a diverse range of courses tailored for individuals working in the public sector.
- Allocating resources to initiatives that promote deep tech training objectives.
- Partnering with other institutions, such as NGOs and charities, to pool resources, garner attention and launch initiatives and projects focused on training and development within the framework of the Deep Tech Talent Initiative.
Q. Will courses provided through the initiative align with the European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability?
A. This is something that we would love to do and are exploring ways to implement this approach.
For more frequently asked questions, visit our web page here or to discuss joining the initiative as a Pledger, visit our dedicated page.
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