The COVID-19 health crisis, coupled with the rapid development of the digital society, has led to a permanent change in the labour market: Telework is here to stay, and digital careers have conquered job offers in much of the world.

At Fundación Telefónica, we are committed to connecting people with digital education and employment to improve their current and future job opportunities. We provide users with the Employment Map, an interactive tool that analyses the job offer in Spain, both on-site and remote, and shows professions and skills and how they have evolved over time.

Technology is part of every aspect of society, and learning digital skills is essential for employment.

Remote and digital: the most sought-after profiles

According to INE* data, the percentage of professionals working more than half of their days from home in Spain was 4.8% in 2019, a figure that rose to 10.8% after the pandemic. In 2021, with the return to the new normal, the percentage dropped to 9.5%..

By productive sectors, 87.9% of people employed in the technology sectors have the option of working remotely, according to ONTSI data**. Other sectors facilitating telework for their employees include scientific and technical professions, the financial sector and real estate.

Currently, out of a total of 45,571 job vacancies published and registered on our Employment Map, about 30% are for working from home. At the top of the most in-demand professions, there are:

? 1. Software developer

With more than 3,500 remote job offers, a software development professional is responsible for implementing or programming all kinds of software systems that allow a device’s operating system to handle programs. They may be in charge of the development of a specific application or create the systems to manage a device.

What skills do you need? Expertise in spring framework, microservices, programming with Java, cloud computing, HTML and CSS.

? 2. System Administrator

System administrator is the profession with the second highest number of remote job offers. This type of profile is responsible for maintaining, configuring and optimising the organisations’ computers and network systems, from the installation of hardware and software to the management of permissions and access rights. Among their daily tasks, system administrators ensure that the IT system is responsive to user demands and agile in meeting their needs.

What skills do you need? Knowledge of web design, scripting languages, Unix, databases, firewalls, communication networks, maintenance of computer systems, cloud computing and Microsoft Azure.

? 3. Full stack developer

The fullstack developer is responsible for the internal architecture and the user interface of a website or mobile application. This type of technical profile requires hybrid professionals and, in many cases, multi-tasking , capable of working in all facets of front- and back-end, as well as in different operating systems.

What skills do you need? Knowledge in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Angular, servers, databases, networking systems and PHP, among others.

? 4. Digital project manager

This person is responsible for developing digital projects aligned with the company’s mission and objectives. They are responsible for planning, directing, coordinating and evaluating the strategy and development of digital products and businesses.

What skills do you need? This type of profile requires the ability to use and apply agile methodologies such as Scrum, knowledge of the Office package, and notions of Java and cloud computing.

? 5. ICT Consultant

ICT consultants are professionals specialised in new information and communication technologies (ICT) who offer advice to organisations on how best to apply ICT to optimise processes and achieve business objectives. This type of profile offers companies external support for the technical department and a renewed vision to improve the productivity and efficiency of a business.

What skills do you need? These professionals require extensive knowledge of business management programmes such as SAP, to facilitate decision-making, cloud computing, Java, databases and theOffice package.

Training and guidance for digital employment

Technology is now a part of virtually every aspect of society: from education and trade to health and the economy. In this context, digital skills have become essential for our employability, and lifelong learning is the answer to the necessary updating of professionals in the face of the continuous transformation of society.

Fundación Telefónica offers users our Job Connect digital training programme, a wide range of free online courses to enhance the digital and transversal skills demanded by the labour market.

In addition, if you are not sure which career path is right for you, you can chat with our Virtual Career Counsellor. A chatbot that offers personalised advice, an analysis of the profiles and digital skills most sought after by companies, and information about the best online courses on platforms such as Coursera, edX, Udemy and MiriadaX, among others.

*Data extracted from an analysis of El País Data based on INE data.

**Data extracted from the flash report ‘Telework in Spain‘ by ONTSI.