Technology, digitalization, and social problems: influence on women’s training and employment in Europe through multiple regression models

Digital technology is central to economic and social development, but it also raises social issues related to inequality and exclusion. Studies show that, without specific policies, technology can reproduce structural gaps in the labor market. In the case of women, data reveal persistent gaps in access to digital training and participation in highly skilled technology jobs. In this context, reducing the gender gap emerges as a necessary condition for digitalization to contribute to the SDG of the 2030 Agenda. This research aims to analyze the implementation of SDGs 4 (Quality Education) and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) in the context of digital transformation, with an emphasis on their impact on gender equality (SDG 5) with regard to access to quality education and decent employment in Europe. Analyses Eurostat data between 2017 and 2023 using Jamovi software, a hierarchical multiple linear regression was applied. The results show that digitization emerges as a key factor in explaining the persistence of the gender gap in the 27 countries of the European Union, conditioned by the economic and social characteristics of each country. In conclusion, the advancement of digitization and technology in the European Union is conditioned by structural factors such as education, job stability, and gender equality in leadership, rather than by the mere availability of ICT specialists. These findings highlight the need for differentiated public policies that not only boost competitiveness but also address the social problems arising from the digital and gender divides, thus ensuring a more inclusive technological transition.