The European Commission has said it intends to spark a “revolution” in the information, communications and technologies (ICT) industry by increasing education and training to fill vacant positions.
The Commission has asked ICT organisations to commit to a new initiative called the Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs to improve industry-led training and worker mobility, as well as supporting entrepreneurial activity.
Under the coalition, the Commission is asking companies to commit resources towards individual or joint projects that will boost ICT expertise. 15 organisations have joined the coalition so far, which has launched an online IT learning platform called the Academy cube.
In a speech, the EU commissioner for the digital agenda Neelie Kroes said the Commission will coordinate the governance of the initiative using €1 million from the Competitiveness and Innovation programme in 2013. It will also support the coalition under the societal challenge pillar of Horizon 2020, said Kroes.
The Commission says the coalition will help to fill vacancies in the ICT sector, which needs an extra 100,000 employees per year.