The data from the Computer Education Observatory, the report which must provide a framework for furthering STEAM skills in the city, were taken from 1,600 surveys conducted among the education community: teachers, students and families. Some 84% of those surveyed believe that IT programming should be a compulsory subject, with 72% backing the introduction of programming into study plans for early ages to promote equal opportunities. In addition, 62% believe the labour market struggles to find professionals with specific training in tech disciplines.

The report also addresses the issue of the gender divide: 65% of young people who took part in the survey believe that programming is an area which is more for boys than for girls.

According to the observatory, learning levels on how to browse and use the internet are 5% higher in Barcelona that the rest of Spain, although the presence of programming in schools is unequal. This is due to various factors, such as the lack of material resources, the shortage of specialised teachers in this area or the type and the complexity of the school in question.

The report was compiled by Telling and Code.org, an educational non-profit organisation providing free access to programming content to boost training in STEAM skills in childhood. The initiative is backed by Barcelona Activa.