The EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative goal is to boost European deep tech expertise by skilling, up-skilling and re-skilling one million people and building collaborations among deep tech actors to accelerate innovation and engage citizens in new technologies that will create new jobs, companies, and a more sustainable society and economy.
We are therefore delighted to announce that the Initiative has reached a significant milestone of training over 500,000 talents between January 2023 and June 2024 and over 1 million talents pledged since its launch in October 2022. Three main groups of learners with a need for deep tech training have been prioritised, to help move towards a gender equal and diverse Europe:
- Pupils, especially young women, in secondary education with an interest in deep tech
- Students of Higher Education with a need for more specialised training in deep tech
- Adult Learners in companies and on the job market who need additional skills in deep tech
The EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative is designed to engage different types of stakeholders through different means: talents through deep tech courses and organizations (including universities, companies, accelerators and institutions) through calls for proposals, the radar and the frequent networking events, therefore complementing formal education in EU Member-States, and offering growth opportunities across 15 deep tech areas.
Pledger Community
Alongside seven EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community Partners (KICs), namely, EIT Manufacturing, Climate-KIC, EIT Digital, EIT Food, EIT Health, EIT Raw Materials, and EIT Urban Mobility, our growing Pledgers Community has over 375 members including companies, such as Intel, NVIDIA, Fujitsu and GE Healthcare, universities, such as University of Barcelona, Delft University of Technology, Paris Saclay University, Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino, training providers, such as JA Europe, Generation, MinnaLearn, Develhope, TechLabs Rotterdam, and yourscienceEDU, associations, such as Coalition for Polish Innovations and EdTech Estonia, and NGOs, such as Czechitas.
All Pledgers are committed to the Initiative’s goal and signed up to develop and scale new or existing learning materials in deep tech that directly respond to market demands and target skills development at all levels of education. These courses, developed individually by the Pledgers or in partnership with the other members of the network, help foster innovation and entrepreneurship in deep tech through purposeful formal and informal education and training opportunities offered to students and professionals in line with the European Union’s industrial and skills strategy.
Courses
Currently, the Initiative has over 150 courses and training programs on the platform across 15 relevant deep tech fields, as well as courses on entrepreneurship and innovation. These courses offer a great opportunity for talents to improve their knowledge and expertise in their preferred areas of interest. The variety of Pledgers and their different key areas and priorities is mirrored in the variety of available courses in terms of target audience (high-school and university students, professionals, technicians, people willing to re-enter the job market), duration (from a minimum of 50 hours combined learning to 3 years) and type (MAs, BAs, PhDs, LLL, Hackathons, Summer and Winter Shools).
Currently, the top three deep tech focus areas of the available courses are: Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (including Big Data), Advanced Computing / Quantum Computing, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Deep Tech. In terms of demand, the highest number of trained talents comes from youth programmes having a focus on AI.
The EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative’s Tech Radar
The EIT Deep Tech Talent Radar is an innovative, interactive platform designed to help universities, companies, and students navigate the future of deep tech. It maps emerging technologies and essential skills that are reshaping industries, providing actionable insights for strategic development.
For universities, the Radar serves as a curriculum-shaping guide. For instance, noticing an uptick in demand for AI ethics expertise, universities can develop dedicated programs to address this skill gap, preparing graduates for impactful roles in responsible technology design.
Companies can utilize the Radar to make strategic workforce investments. A company operating in the energy sector, for example, could track advancements in energy storage technologies and prioritize upskilling employees in battery innovation.
Students can benefit immensely by understanding which skills are becoming crucial across industries. If the Radar highlights growing opportunities in climate tech, students might choose to specialize in carbon capture technologies or sustainable supply chain management. With clear signals about high-demand fields like quantum computing, they can better plan internships, research projects, or additional certifications, making them standout candidates for future employers.
Calls for Proposals and Networking Opportunities
The EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative offers universities, companies, and students, significant opportunities to thrive in the evolving tech landscape. For universities, the initiative also provides access to funding for developing state-of-the-art training programs in fields like biotech, AI, or advanced materials. By aligning curricula with industry needs, universities can boost their academic impact and produce job-ready graduates. Collaboration opportunities with industry leaders further enable academic institutions to engage in cutting-edge research and practical learning partnerships. Companies benefit by influencing training content to close skills gaps in areas such as robotics or sustainable energy. This ensures access to a pool of highly skilled talent and fosters innovation through research collaborations with universities. Engaging with students through internships or mentorships also helps companies build early connections with future experts.
At the same time, students gain specialized, future-proof skills and hands-on experience, preparing them for careers in high-demand fields like climate tech or health tech. They also have the chance to work on real-world projects, attend networking events, and connect with mentors, setting them up for impactful and well-rounded professional paths.
Partners
