By Martin Banks - 3rd February 2010
There is a lot more to be done
Erkki Ormala
Parliament was told that many Europeans are missing out on the "digital revolution" because of a shortage of information technology skills.
A breakfast briefing on Wednesday heard that seven per cent of the EU population has no computer skills whatsoever and 33 per cent say they have never used the internet.
In an effort to raise awareness of "e-skills" the commission is once again hosting a European e-skills week, from 1 March.
It will involve 300,000 participants in more than 100 activities in different member states.
Spanish deputy Pilar del Castillo Vera told the debate it was "crucial" that more was done to enable people to tap into the potential of the digital age.
"That is why the commission is right to put this issue at the heart of the EU2020 strategy," she said.
Her comments were echoed by Erkki Ormala, of the Brussels-based advocacy group, DigitalEurope, who said, "The ICT industry will be the cornerstone of the economic recovery and important for future jobs and growth in Europe.
"There has been considerable improvement in digital literacy in recent years but we are not there yet. There is a lot more to be done."
He said there is a "chronic" shortage of digital skills in all sectors, but especially in sectors such as software and computer industries.
Up to 400,000 new jobs could be created by 2015, he said, if there were more skilled "practitioners".
Hungarian MEP Edit Herczog, who hosted the meeting, said that improving digital literacy skills would help boost the job prospects of individuals.
"I am sure that the e-skills week next month will help raise awareness of this important issue," she said.
Another participant, Elena Bonfiglioli, director of corporate citizenship at Microsoft, said it was important to provide incentives to teachers who she described as the "gatepost" of efforts to tackle the issue.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.