Bridging the Gap: A Comprehensive European Strategy for Digital Skills Development in Work Integration Social Enterprises

Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) play a crucial role in improving the employability of workers with support needs and promoting inclusive employment. Due to the changing labor market and industrial digitalization, they face challenges in adapting to evolving technologies while maintaining their mission-driven goals. This paper examines WISEs across Austria as part of a Europe-wide evaluation and a European strategy, exploring their varied types and digital skills gaps. Using qualitative research methods such as focus group discussion, case studies and expert interviews, the study explores the level of digital literacy within WISEs and suggests strategies for improvement. Different types of WISEs - productive, social, and training - face different digital challenges that require tailored solutions. Empirical findings indicate that productive WISEs face competition-driven pressure to adopt advanced technologies while remaining inclusive and an inclusive employer. Social WISEs prioritize social development alongside digital upskilling, using technology for training and communication. Training WISEs focus on preparing workers for mainstream employment, recognizing digital proficiency as essential. In addition, the results show that despite varying levels of digital progress, WISEs agree on the need to embrace digitalization for competitiveness and inclusiveness. Challenges include resource constraints and inequalities in digital access. The study advocates for structured digital training, user-friendly eLearning platforms and management support within WISEs and emphasizes the societal importance of digitalization and the role of WISEs in bridging social divides.