From Students to Professionals: Digital Skills in Social Services for the Practice of Social Work

Abstract

The incorporation of digital technologies has transformed Social Work, generating new demands in terms of professional competencies. It is worth questioning whether, in contexts as sensitive as social services, the mere acquisition of instrumental mastery of these tools is sufficient to ensure safe practice. Considering that the level of proficiency with these tools is influenced by age, the aim of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the digital competence levels of social work professionals and students in order to contrast the skills and shortcomings of both groups. To achieve this, a quantitative methodological design was employed using questionnaires based on the European DigComp 2.2 framework. The sample included 451 professionals from Spain and 171 students from the University of Huelva, whose data were processed using statistical software (SPSS 27). The results show that students display a higher overall level of digital competence, particularly in the creation of digital content and the use of artificial intelligence tools. Professionals, on the other hand, demonstrate stronger competencies in digital security and data literacy. The findings reveal a clear complementarity between the two groups, highlighting an opportunity for mutual feedback and learning that can help combine technological efficiency with ethical responsibility and respect for human rights.