With an expected 900,000 job vacancies in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector by 2015, a new European initiative to meet this skills demand and reduce unemployment has been launched.
The Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs will help better match Europeans seeking work and in education with the massive number of ICT job vacancies in the EU. It will run for an initial term of 2013-15.
Speaking at the launch in Brussels today, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton described the move as a "hugely important initiative".
"Job creation and economic growth are at its core. Reflecting our domestic priorities, job creation in Europe is a top priority of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU," he said, adding, "Even during the economic crisis, the numbers employed in ICT have been growing by 3 per cent annually".
"We cannot afford to allow European labour markets to fall behind in this way and lose job opportunities in favour of other regions of the world. The time for action is now."
The initiative includes the following measures:
• Improved ICT training and skills matching, including commitments by Europe's largest ICT employers to scale up their training programmes and make available their training content in new ways;
• The introduction of a single European certification system for ICT skills, enabling greater mobility among ICT professionals within the EU
• Creation of assistance services and funding to enable ICT workers to move within the EU to areas where demand for their skills is highest;
• The development of a number of campaigns to ensure European students and young professionals fully appreciate the range of ICT related jobs and career paths open to them;
• A one-stop-shop for web entrepreneurs will be established. "Start-up Europe" will contain all the available support tools and programmes for people setting-up and growing their online business.
It is being jointly driven by four EU Commissioners and Europe's leading ICT employers including Google, Microsoft, HP, SAP and Cisco Systems. The coalition has clear targets and indicators of success that will be measured and evaluated to ensure the initiative delivers real results.
Making Ireland the most attractive location in the world for ICT Skills availability is a key part of the Irish Government's Action Plan for Jobs 2013. By 2018, the Government aims to lead Europe in terms of ICT graduates as a percentage of all third level graduates.
