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The European Commission launched an alliance with major ICT companies and industry associations to close the digital skills gap in Europe and to meet the growing demand for ICT practitioners. This is to be achieved through collaboration in promoting training, labour mobility, certifying skills and awareness-raising for ICT-related careers.



“Promoting digital skills and jobs is a vital aim but if the so called Grand Coalition wants to be credible it must recognize the paradox that “digital jobs” are currently being destroyed and not created” stated Luc Triangle, Deputy General Secretary of industriAll European Trade Union.



IndustriAll Europe and UNI Europa both underline the importance of Information and Communication Technologies & Services for jobs and growth of the European economy. They are concerned however that the Grand Coalition - as it currently stands - neglects jobs and skills in the ICT industry itself!



“We demand that the companies that are signing up for the Grand Coalition also face up to their responsibilities vis-à-vis the workforce they currently employ” insisted Oliver Röthig, Regional Secretary of UNI Europa.



The European ICT sector is currently experiencing massive restructuring and layoffs. Tens of thousands of jobs have been suppressed in hardware/software/components companies in recent years. The sector suffers from global competitive distortions and desperately lacks a European industrial policy.



The questions of skills, sector attractiveness and the need for a European certification system of ICT skills and qualifications are important issues raised by the Grand Coalition. They could be the start for a future social dialogue in the ICT sector building!



You can access the Joint Press release in the Related files tab.