Let’s be honest: when most people hear “digital skills training”, the first thing that comes to mind is hours of staring at a screen full of incomprehensible code, guided by a PowerPoint presentation with more bullet points than personality. It’s useful, sure. Fun? Not exactly.
But here’s the twist: across Europe, thanks to Erasmus+ projects, digital skills are no longer taught as something scary, dry, or exclusive. Instead, they’re becoming accessible, creative, and actually fun. Sometimes they even come with coffee breaks, team challenges, and friendships that last far beyond the training.
So how exactly did Erasmus+ manage to turn coding into something people look forward to? Let’s dig in.
Why Digital Skills Matter (and why they can be so boring)
Digital skills are the currency of the future. Whether you’re looking for a job, trying to start a business, or simply navigating everyday life, knowing how to use digital tools is no longer optional – it’s essential.
The European Commission estimates that over 90% of jobs now require some level of digital competence, and yet millions of Europeans lack even basic skills. Closing this gap isn’t just about employability; it’s about inclusion. Without digital literacy, people risk being left behind in an increasingly online world.
And yet, despite the importance, digital training often feels somewhat lifeless. Rows of computers, dense technical jargon, and a one-size-fits-all teaching style don’t exactly inspire learners. It’s like teaching someone to swim by handing them a textbook.
This is where Erasmus+ steps in with a fresh approach.
The Erasmus+ Way: Learning by Doing (and Sharing)
Erasmus+ is perhaps best known for student exchanges and the life-changing adventures of young people studying abroad. But in recent years, it has also become a powerful driver of digital transformation and skills development.
Unlike traditional training, Erasmus+ projects use methods that are:
- Collaborative: learning happens in groups, often across borders
- Practical: participants work on real-life problems and projects
- Creative: gamification, storytelling, and even sports are used to teach digital concepts
- Social: training sessions are mixed with cultural activities, coffee breaks, and networking
The result? Participants don’t just learn how to code or use new digital tools – they also build confidence, friendships, and problem-solving skills along the way.
Real-Life Examples: Coding with a human touch
AcrossEurope, Erasmus+ projects are experimenting with new ways of making digital education exciting. Here are just a few inspiring ones:
Instead of coding in isolation, this project brought together young people from Poland, Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria to learn web development and Python by solving real community problems. Teams didn’t just practice coding – they also built apps and tools with social impact in mind. Add late-night pizza and teamwork across cultures, and suddenly “learning to code” became a memorable adventure.
Even during border closures, Erasmus+ found creative ways to connect learners. This project designed hybrid and online hackathons where students, researchers, and civic actors collaborated on real-world challenges. It proved that with curiosity (and decent WiFi) digital learning can be just as exciting online as in person.
Digital skills aren’t just for IT specialists. The DigiCulture project focused on adults in creative industries, namely, artists, heritage workers, and volunteers, helping them use digital tools to share culture and reach new audiences. Imagine a museum volunteer learning to create virtual tours or an artist experimenting with digital storytelling. Suddenly, “tech” becomes a tool for creativity, not a barrier.
For adults at risk in the labour market, digital skills can mean the difference between opportunity and exclusion. InDigtal developed flexible, accessible training for those outside education or employment, giving them the confidence to navigate the digital world. That’s not just coding – it’s empowerment.
Coffee breaks matter more than you think
It may sound silly, but the coffee break is where the magic happens. Between sessions, participants laugh, share experiences, and swap ideas. That’s where the network-building kicks in.
A shy teenager from a rural village might find themselves chatting with a university student from another country about their favourite app. A teacher struggling with online tools might learn a shortcut from a 19-year-old coding enthusiast. In these moments, learning becomes natural, human, and fun.
And let’s be honest: nothing bonds people faster than trying to figure out the coffee machine in a foreign country.
Why this approach works
So why is the Erasmus+ model so effective in teaching digital skills? Three reasons:
- Motivation through Meaning – When digital skills are tied to real-world problems and personal connections, people care more they’re not just learning JavaScript – they’re also building something useful with friends.
- Confidence through Collaboration – many learners feel intimated by technology. Working in teams thus lowers the pressure, encourages questions, and makes the process on the whole less scary.
- Inclusion through Creativity – by mixing coding with games, culture, or art, Erasmus+ projects invite people who would never sign up for “Advanced IT Training 101” to give digital learning a try.
Beyond Skills: Building Future Citizens
Here’s the best part: participants don’t just leave with new technical skills. They also gain:
- Soft skills like teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving
- Cultural awareness from working with peers across Europe
- A growth mindset that makes them more open to lifelong learning
In other words, Erasmus+ doesn’t only teach people how to code – it also prepares them to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
The Bigger Picture: Europe’s Digital Decade
The European Union has set ambitious goals for its Digital Decade: by 2030, at least 80% of adults should have basic digital skills, and 20 million ICT specialists should be employed across the EU.
Erasmus+ is one of the tools helping to achieve this vision – not by drowning people in technical manuals, but by making learning engaging, social, and enjoyable. It’s the human-centred approach that ensures no one is left behind.
Conclusion: Coding with a Smile
So, next time you hear “digital skills training”, don’t picture a silent classroom with flickering fluorescent lights. Picture young people laughing over laptops, swapping stories during coffee breaks, and coding apps that make a difference in their communities.
Thanks to Erasmus+, learning digital skills doesn’t have to be dry or daunting. It can be energising, social, and even fun. Because when you combine coding with collaboration, coffee, and creativity, you’re not just teaching technology – you’re building the future of Europe.
And who knows? The next big tech innovation might just be born between a line of code and a shared cappuccino.