Every new talent trained represents a step towards a stronger, more innovative Europe, because students, professionals, and lifelong learners are building the skills needed to drive innovation and strengthen Europe’s deep tech ecosystem.
We are delighted to announce that, in the continuous journey towards a skilled workforce in Europe, the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative has reached its major milestone of one million talents trained in deep tech, ahead of its December 2025 deadline.
“We are happy to have reached the milestone of 1 million talents trained well ahead of time. But this initiative is not only about KPI. It is also about impact. Behind every number, there is a human being, who has learned new skills, acquired new competences, and made new connections. Together with our community, we are building a strong and robust deep tech ecosystem for Europe.” (Natalie Cernecka, Manager of EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative)
This achievement would not have been possible without our Pledger Community, comprising over 600 members organisations including enterprises, universities, training providers, associations, and NGOs, along with the EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) and other EIT Community Initiatives. Together, these organisations have skilled higher education students, upskilled workers with professional development courses, and reskilled lifelong learners to bring their experience closer to the latest tech advances.
JA Europe as a prominent Pledger, has reported the highest number of talents trained, followed by Intel Corporation, Delft University of Technology, Generation Italy, Generation UK, UiPath, Helixconnect Europe, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, MinnaLearn, and Kodluyoruz (We Code), and the top five countries with the most talents trained being Norway, Greece, Austria, Ukraine, and France.
“Since the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative’s launch, JA Europe has been a key driver in equipping young people with deep tech and entrepreneurial skills. We’ve already engaged over 300,000 students, fostering innovation through programmes like JA Innovation Camp, JA Company Programme and AIENTRE4YOUTH. Witnessing its growth, we see more underserved youth and girls in STEM gaining vital skills, ensuring they play a central role in Europe’s deep tech future.” (Diana Filip, Deputy CEO and Chief Development Officer JA Europe)
Additionally, trained talents were influenced through wider actions, such as training students in deep tech through courses not registered under the Initiative, open innovation/competitions, conferences and events, grants programmes, and staff training courses in deep tech. MinnaLearn, Middle East Technical University, Intel Corporation, Politecnico di Milano University, and Girls Go Circular were the top Pledgers contributing the most in influencing people in deep tech through wider actions.
Courses
The Initiative has assembled a catalogue of over 210 courses and training programmes, across 15 relevant deep tech fields, which offer a great opportunity for talents to improve their knowledge and expertise in their preferred areas of interest.
The top 5 courses targeting professional development learning (based on total number of learners reported) are:
- Java Developer
- System and Cybersecurity Analyst
- UiPath Automation Developer Professional
- PreMETS-Digitalisation in Predictive Maintenance: Developing Digital Skills
- Hi-Kod
Currently 37% of courses are dedicated to Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (including big data), while courses on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Deep Tech, Advanced Computing/Quantum Computing, Advanced Manufacturing, and Biotechnology and Life Sciences complete the top five popular deep tech fields.
According to data gathered from our Talent Community, there are significant opportunities to develop new courses in the following high-demand areas:
- Cybersecurity & Data Protection
- Internet of Things / W3C / Semantic Web
- Communications & Networks / 5G
- VR / AR / Metaverse
- Web 3.0 / Blockchain / Distributed Ledgers / NFTs
This presents a valuable chance for organisations to contribute meaningful content, offering useful guidance for pledgers and leads seeking to understand where their efforts are most needed.
Programmes dedicated to female learners
The total number of women trained since 2023 represents 36% of the total number of trained talents, based on the available gender data reported by Pledgers.
From the reported data, Generation Italy, Kodluyoruz (We Code) and Junior Achievement Türkiye, were prominent in supporting female learners.
Additional Pledgers who are specifically dedicated to training women include She is Mom, #SheTransformsIT, Impulse4Women, and Czechitas.
“Empowering women in cybersecurity is crucial. In Czechia, women are underrepresented in both the general workforce and cybersecurity. Diverse teams yield better results, so we must reject the notion that ‘tech isn’t for girls’ and create clear pathways for education, employment, and advancement.” (Radek Novák, Product Owner of Cybersecurity Education at Czechitas)
Next steps
With one million talents now trained in deep tech, the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative will continue to empower and equip Europe’s workforce with cutting-edge skills to build a strong deep tech talent pool and foster innovation, to ensure that European industries remain at the forefront of global innovation, solidifying the region’s role as a leader in deep tech and securing its future in an increasingly competitive technology-driven world.
Martin Kern, Director of the EIT added: “Training the talents behind tomorrow’s innovations is central to our mission. By connecting people and organisations across Europe, we are building a community that will give us the skills to boost Europe’s competitiveness and tackle major challenges.”
Inspired by the European Competitive Compass, the European Commission has established a “Union of Skills” initiative and is accompanied by an Action Plan on Basic Skills and a STEM Education Strategic Plan to improve skills in science, technology, engineering, and maths. It will promote STEM careers, attract more girls and women, and boost preparedness in the face of digital and green transitions. The EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative, together with other European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) initiatives, will evolve its catalogue of training programmes, network of training providers, and funding opportunities for course creation to nurture the Union of Skills.
Partners
