Brussels, 02/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has launched European e-skills week, which will take place from the 1 - 5 March. This event aims to review the achievements of the EU e-skills strategy (in terms of digital literacy and boosting the e-skills of all EU citizens), to share experiences, build links and mobilise stakeholders across the EU. The official launch took place on Tuesday 2 March in Hanover at the world's largest digital tradeshow. More than 200 events and activities such as conferences, web seminars, company executive tours of schools and workshops will be organised during the event. Thirty-five countries in Europe will participate in the event in many different kinds of activity.
Although internet use is becoming more generalised throughout Europe, there are groups of people (the unemployed, the elderly and other people experiencing difficulties) who remain excluded from this evolution. Demand for digital skills is increasing significantly throughout all the different branches of the economy, not just the traditional communication and information technology sector (ICT) and now includes sectors such as automobiles, banks and the media. Only 10% of jobs in the EU will not require digital skills in the next five years, according to a recent survey. The Commission regrets that the number of highly skilled people in the sector is insufficient and that Europe will suffer from an increasing digital skills shortage, which will damage productivity and company competitiveness. According to the Commission, European education and training has not followed the explosion in demand. The number of young people pursuing studies in information technology is even decreasing and the gap between the demands for skilled people in the ICT sector is outstripping the supply of graduates in this area. So far science, engineering or humanities graduates who are becoming ICT experts are making up the shortfall. The European Commission is aware of the challenges and has set out a long-term strategy on "e-Skills for the 21st Century" in its communication of September 2007. This strategy presents a long-term timetable across the European Union. (EUROPE 9497). (I.L./transl.fl)