Microsoft Announces More Than 8 Million Europeans Trained on Technology Skills Through Programmes, Partnerships
Efforts continue and new initiatives will increase access to technology and help meet the growing skills demands of the digital age.
EDINBURGH, Scotland — 29 Jan 2007 — In the past three years, Microsoft Corp has provided technology access and skills training to more than 8 million Europeans, through a broad range of programmes, curriculum development, internships and partnerships, providing the region’s citizens with the skills necessary to compete in today’s economy. Today, ahead of the Government Leaders Forum Europe (GLF) 2007 in Edinburgh, Microsoft and partners announced two new programmes to support IT skills training and help build pathways from training to jobs. In addition, new research from IDC highlights the increasing importance of being able to use information and communication technology (ICT) across all sectors and in nearly all functions.
Governments and academics across Europe agree that ICT skills training is a key vehicle for employability and job creation in a competitive and inclusive Europe and is at the heart of the EU Partnership for Growth and Jobs goals.
“A highly skilled and adaptable workforce will be the foundation for Europe’s competitiveness and prosperity in the 21st century, and information and communication technologies (ICT) and e-skills are a crucial building-block,” said Vice President Günter Verheugen of the European Commission, responsible for Enterprise and Industry. “We all know that effective use of ICT is one of the most important factors for boosting productivity growth but this in turn depends on the acquisition of e-skills by the workforce and the population at large.''
This need for technology skills in today’s job market is increasingly critical, as highlighted in a new Microsoft sponsored white paper "e-Skills - The Key to Employability and Inclusion in Europe" released today by IDC, illustrating the importance of technology skills for workforce employability. The survey was conducted with more than 600 employers in ten European countries who were asked to rate the ICT skills of their staff and the future ICT competence needs of their sector. The key findings of this study showed that ICT skills are the entry ticket to the job market and the baseline for e-skills continues to evolve — and will continue to evolve in the future. Overall, the study showed the need for ICT skills training is a common thread across all industries, from blue-collar to white-collar workers.
“The labour market increasingly demands ICT user skills, almost without regard to the job function,” said Marianne Kolding, research director at IDC.
Furthering its employability efforts, Microsoft, together with Cisco and State Street Corporation, announced two new partnerships to support IT skills training, helping build pathways from training to jobs throughout the UK and across Europe:
1. Along with Alliance partner Cisco and public sector agency, learndirect scotland, Microsoft is launching the Industry Alliance for Sustainable Jobs, a new public private partnership in Scotland that will deliver IT training to 100,000 people by 2010 in technology and employability skills. The partners are committed to improving the employability opportunities of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and addressing the demands of employers for staff with high level IT skills. The initiative will also extend the number of community learning centres delivering Microsoft and Cisco courses.
2. Microsoft also announced that it would be working with State Street and UK nongovernmental organisation Fairbridge to support training programmes, and provide software and a curriculum to help Fairbridge provide disadvantaged youth in Scotland and the UK with the tools necessary for re-engagement in the workplace or the classroom.
Microsoft and Cisco are also playing a leading role in implementing the recommendations on the EU Commission’s task force on ICT sector competitiveness, including the establishment of an e-skills Industry Leadership Board in partnership with other industry leaders in Europe to facilitate the implementation of a long-term strategy on e-skills for competitiveness, growth and employability. The EU has made a policy commitment to address e-skills training in a significant, measurable way. Improving workforce skills is essential to the creation of new jobs and economic growth. New skills — and the ability to use IT in particular — are increasingly required in the job market.
“Bringing the benefits of technology to a broad audience of Europeans, especially those who have traditionally been left out of the knowledge economy, is an important commitment for Microsoft,” said Jean-Philippe Courtois, president of Microsoft International. “Our goal is to ultimately create a highly skilled workforce by providing access to technology and skills training. We are proud to be working with other industry leaders and the Commission to help Europeans take part in the opportunities that technology is creating and to have a direct impact on Europe’s competitiveness.”
Through today’s announcements, Microsoft reconfirmed its continuous commitment to increasing the competitiveness and employability of Europe’s workforce, through its own programmes and in partnership with industry leaders and governments. At GLF 2006 Europe, Microsoft, along with other members of the European e-skills certification consortium (eSCC) — Cisco, ECDL, Exin — and in partnership with State Street Corporation, Randstad Holding and Fast Track to IT (Fit) last year announced the formation of the European Alliance on Skills for Employability at GLF in Lisbon, Portugal. The alliance is working towards the goal of providing technology access and ICT training to 20 million people in the next five years.
The Microsoft GLF is an annual two-day event that brings together more than 300 high-level government officials and business leaders from across Europe to discuss opportunities and challenges that leaders face in the new global economy.
About Microsoft Digital Inclusion
Through a range of innovative technologies and partnerships, Microsoft is working to bring the benefits of technology and technology skills to 250 million people by 2010, with the ultimate aim of using technology to help improve education and learning, create opportunity and raise living standards for people around the world. Microsoft’s flagship digital inclusion initiatives are Partners in Learning and Unlimited Potential.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
About Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
Microsoft has operated in EMEA since 1982. In the region Microsoft employs more than 13,000 people in over 60 subsidiaries, delivering products and services in more than 138 countries and territories.
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