Skills in online job ads: an analysis of Italian regions

We analysed online job ads data to study similarities and changes (between 2019 and 2020) in the skill sets across Italian regions. We used the ESCO taxonomy to apply an index of by-occupation skill importance. Moreover, we made use of special statistical methods to face sparse data in the computation of regional skill similarity. We found a different pattern of skill similarity and skill change across regions that partially reflects the North-South divide. Northern regions are more similar to each other in the skills equipment while Southern regions exhibit higher changes in the skill importance between 2019-2020. We interpreted these findings by also considering variables expressing the dynamism and innovation of the regions in terms of business turnover and youth entrepreneurship.