This should be the New Year's celebration for Denmark's new Minister of Digitalisation

We have entered a new year, where Denmark for the first time has a minister for digitalisation in the form of Marie Bjerre - and it was about time.

There is hardly a company or public body in Denmark today that is not in one way or another dependent on IT solutions - whether it is the payment system in the small shop or the purchasing system in the C25 company with a turnover of billions.

In the public sector, IT takes up more space than ever - everything from patient records to citizen service is deeply dependent on digital solutions.

The focus on digitalisation and the fact that we finally get a Minister for Digitalisation is undoubtedly positive – and let's hope that one day we will have a large ministry dedicated exclusively to the area. But until then, we hope that it will be a good start when Marie Bjerre has really gotten to work on behalf of digitalization and IT in Denmark.

Because there are a number of very major IT challenges for our society that should be prioritized on the political agenda. Most pressing of all, we are facing a huge shortage of IT skills across regions, industries and sectors.

Several analysts say that there will be a shortage of 20,000 IT specialists in 2030, and if that knot is not solved, we can expect a decline in growth among companies and a deterioration in public services.

The government basis for the SVM government states that they want to "develop and maintain Denmark as a digital pioneer country and showcase".

One can only agree with that, but if we are to be able to carry out this task with the current IT resources - and not least those we have in sight - then I dare say on behalf of most people in the IT industry that we hope the minister's New Year's resolution will be a dedicated effort to increase the supply of IT skills.

The number of places on IT programmes throughout the country should be increased to keep up with demand.

It simply cannot be true that this summer, 1,352 out of 1,768 applicants for the country's IT programmes were rejected, when the business community and welfare Denmark are screaming for their help.


We must not lose the IT enthusiasts to the floor.

However, the problem of a shortage of IT labour is already acute - last year alone, the trade association IT-Branchen reported that 90 percent of Danish companies are looking for more IT people.

Therefore, solutions that work here and now must also be looked at.

Marie Bjerre and the new Ministry of Digitalisation should therefore look at how continuing education and upskilling can help provide new IT skills to the existing workforce.

At the same time, politicians must also ensure that we have as inclusive an IT labour market as possible: Many more women still need to be included in IT professional jobs.

Nor should age be a barrier to developing new IT skills.

Here, as mentioned earlier, continuing education plays an important role and last but not least, foreign IT talents who want to put their skills and work in Denmark must have the best possible conditions to be able to come to the country and keep a job.

It will be a great loss if we in Denmark do not manage to create an IT environment that everyone can become part of and benefit from.

That said, the minister can't solve all the problems alone.

In the business community, we all have a role to play in competence development, and we in the IT industry are ready to help. But when it comes to the big solutions, there must be a broad-based political will to deal with the challenges.

Therefore, there is also a responsibility on the other parties in the Folketing to prioritise IT and, not least, to hold the Minister for Digitalisation to the fire, so that sustainable solutions are created.

The argument is simple: IT - both private and public - has become an inevitable part of Danes' lives and everyday lives, and is very likely to become the most important part of our common infrastructure.

So even though our Minister of Digitalization cannot be expected to solve all problems immediately, I hope that she will take the lead in solving the acute shortage of IT specialists as early as the new year.

Finally, there is only one thing to say: Welcome to the IT industry, Marie Bjerre, a new year in a new ministry is just around the corner, and we look forward to seeing results.

Written by Michelle Mark