National Report – Spain | EDSAW Project -Digital and Soft Skills Needs of the Ageing Workforce in Spain

May 16, 2025 | adult, adultaging, digitalskills, EDSAW, erasmus, ka2, softskills, training

Digital and Soft Skills Needs of the Ageing Workforce in Spain

National Report – Spain | EDSAW Project – 2023‑1‑SK01‑KA220‑ADU‑000159273

As part of the EDSAW – European Digital Skills and Workforce Project, M&M Profuture Training (Spain) conducted a national needs analysis to assess the digital and soft skills levels among the ageing workforce (aged 50–65) in Spain. The research aimed to identify knowledge gaps, training needs, and self-perceptions related to digital competencies and workplace readiness.

📊 Methodology

The survey was carried out online between June and July 2024, using a quantitative analysis approach. A total of 64 valid responses were collected from individuals aged 50–65 across 16 municipalities in Catalonia, including Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Viladecans, Terrassa, Lleida, and others. Respondents varied in educational background, employment status, and digital exposure.

🧠 Digital Skills: Key Insights

  • Self-confidence gap: Only 25% of participants feel confident using new digital tools; another 15.6% remain neutral, indicating uncertainty.

  • Cybersecurity awareness:

    • 37.6% reported being not familiar or only vaguely familiar with basic cybersecurity concepts.

    • 23.4% are uncomfortable with their personal data being stored in the cloud.

  • Tool usage:

    • 28.1% always use two-factor authentication, while 14% rarely or never use it.

    • Only 6.3% feel highly competent in data analysis and visualization, while 23.1% have very limited skills.

  • Email and office software:

    • 21.6% reported a neutral or insecure feeling using email platforms.

    • 17.2% had limited confidence using office productivity tools.

These results highlight a considerable digital knowledge gap that affects the employability and professional efficiency of older adults.

🎯 Training Access and Motivation

  • Lack of training:

    • 21.9% of participants have never received any digital training.

    • 20.3% had only minimal training.

    • 24.4% stated their training was insufficient.

  • Motivation levels:

    • The main driver is interest in new technologies (51.6%), followed by potential salary improvement (18.8%).

    • However, 10.9% declared no motivation to learn new technologies, revealing an attitudinal barrier.

💬 Soft Skills Needs

  • Feedback & communication:

    • While 26.6% rate their communication skills as excellent, nearly a quarter felt only average.

    • For constructive feedback, ~20% felt neutral or uncomfortable giving or receiving it.

  • Stress management:

    • 14.1% reported poor or no ability to manage stress related to digital tools or workplace changes.

    • Many mentioned fear of making mistakes, rapid tech changes, and lack of guidance as causes of stress.

  • Process knowledge:

    • 65.6% were unfamiliar with quality management methods such as Kaizen, Kanban, JIT, or TQM.

    • Only 9.4% were familiar with all four.

🧩 Conclusions

The findings reveal a clear need for structured training programs for the ageing workforce in Spain. These should combine:

  • Practical digital skills (office tools, cybersecurity, communication platforms).

  • Soft skills (stress management, teamwork, adaptability).

  • Confidence-building strategies to overcome fear and resistance to digital change.

Tailored, visual, and hands-on learning methods—especially those incorporating real-life examples and accessible formats—are likely to be most effective.

📌 Contact

Mónica Moreno
Pedagogical Director, M&M Profuture Training, S.L.
📧 mmoreno@mmprofuture.com
🌐 https://edsaw.eu