In a bid to help Europe – and most especially Europe’s youth – seize the best opportunities for jobs generated through digital technologies, DIGITALEUROPE and European Schoolnet have joined forces with the European Commission – DG Enterprise and Industry – to organise a European e-Skills Week in 2012 on 26-30 March 2012.
Youth unemployment, which has peaked at over 40%, is a worrying trend. Opportunities created through science, information and communication technology, engineering and maths are critical to building a modern workforce. The European e-Skills week 2012 is a grass roots campaign focused on showing people how to get jobs and e-skills for life in the digital age.
Industry partners – including leading ICT companies such as Alcatel Lucent, Nokia, Microsoft, Cisco, Intel and numerous SMEs across Europe – in partnership with education bodies and public authorities, will deliver a large and diverse programme of events and activities in more than 30 European countries. Ministries of Education have embraced the importance of ICT and are working with industry to deliver an exciting choice of options for people looking for work, and for young people thinking about what career options are open to them.
“SMEs can only grow through employing highly skilled people,” outlined Dr Erkki Ormala, DIGITALEUROPE President. “The right skills encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. We cannot over-estimate the role of digital technology in job generation,” he said.
“The European e-Skills Week is a great initiative for you to get involved in to learn more about the skills you need to find a job,” said Marc Durando, Executive Director of European Schoolnet. “ICT is not just programming; there are so many options to be had from using technology creatively. Some of the greatest jobs can be found through technology – imagine the world without Twitter or Facebook, which were built out of a passion for technology,” said Mr. Durando.
Industry research from IDC estimates that 90% of all jobs will involve basic level of e-skills by 2015. Addressing this key challenge – skills for jobs for growth over the next few years – is a critical issue. Public-private partnerships with large companies have recognised the importance of having more people involved in a digital life, both for pleasure and for work.
The first European e-Skills week delivered hundreds events and activities in March 2010 that raised awareness amongst 65 million citizens in 35 countries of the importance of gaining e-Skills for jobs and for life.
Preparatory work for the European e-Skills Week 2012 will commence in December 2011 and activities will continue up until May 2012. Options for education, training, and opportunities for jobs and growth will be a highlight, and will demonstrate why ICT is so important for any new job.
To join the fight against unemployment citizens, companies and governments are invited engage in the European e-Skills Week 2012. To help deliver e-skills for jobs and for life check out http://eskills-week.ec.europa.eu
and find ways to build our digital future together.