European e-Skills Week 2010: Europe Commits to e-Skilling for the Future

BRUSSELS, February 24, 2010 - The official launch of the European e-Skills Week - at the world's
largest digital tradeshow - CeBIT - in Hannover, Germany, on 2 March 2010 -
marks the culmination of a compelling campaign of more than 200 stimulating
and informative events and activities such as conferences, webinars, CEO
tours to schools and workshops.

The European e-Skills Week (see eskills-week.ec.europa.eu) - the
result of a coordinated effort by government, industry and education - aims
to inform the European public about the critical role ICT skills play in
securing Europe's future economic competitiveness.

A broad range of activities across 35 countries in Europe will highlight
the demand for skilled ICT users and professionals. Public authorities, ICT
companies, and Ministries' of Education institutions have, together, engaged
in literally hundreds of activities, training events, competitions, aimed at
inspiring people to discover e-skills - from their youth to retirement.

Highlights of just a few national activities planned for across Europe
include:

Belgium will give guided tours for interested students to large ICT
companies in the area throughout the Flanders, Brussels, and Walloon regions.
The focus will be on providing insights into career prospects.

Romania is hosting a 'Get Online Day' on 1 March, hosted in collaboration
with Microsoft Romania, targeting those with few IT skills. As well as site
visits for young local students in Bucharest to IBM and Microsoft.

Portugal is hosting the 'Futuralia Conference' on 10 March to mark the
launch of European e-Skills Week.

Germany will host four 'IT Camps' in major cities across the country
between 19 February and 21 April.

Cyprus is to host a 'Career Fair' at major universities from 26 - 28
February, to highlight the European e-Skills Week and the importance of IT
skills to students.

Czech Republic will launch a high school students' competition called
"Create the best application in APEX?" between 5 - 31 March.

Denmark is using a 'Technology Caravan' to target the young people of its
large cities. The caravan will visit various ICT Universities during the
e-Skills Week and will host a variety of interesting IT focused seminars.

France plans a high-profile Conference in the 'Cite des sciences in Paris
on 30 March, as well as a travelling exhibition on the history of ICT between
21 Jan and 5 March.

All national and EU events are available online in a calendar at:

eskills-week.ec.europa.eu/web/guest/map

"There is a growing need for people to embrace a culture of innovation
and possibilities created through e-skilling," says Bridget Cosgrave,
Director-General DIGITALEUROPE. "Informing people about the opportunities
associated with e-skills, and taking advantage of the opportunities presented
through e-skilling will benefit European society and business."

DIGITALEUROPE have joined with European Schoolnet (a network of 31
Ministries of Education), 20 National Contact Points, hundreds of
stakeholders, and digital industry partners to promote e-skills. The focus is
the current lack of e-skills in Europe, the impact on European
competitiveness, and what can be done to bridge the gap.

"This is a unique pan-European platform to promote experiences and best
practices, and foster cooperation," said Marc Durando, Executive Director,
European Schoolnet. "We are encouraging educational institutions and industry
to enter into dialogue that assists in the development of appropriate
e-skills among Europe's younger generation, to ensure our future
competitiveness."

More than 400 people are expected to attend the European e-Skills Week
'Go DigITal!' Closing Event planned for 5 March in Brussels, Belgium. Young
people, teachers, stakeholders and public authorities from European and
national level, national contact points engaged in the campaign, schools and
students, parents associations, teachers, young graduates, NGOs, and people
looking for a job or a new career direction, SMEs are invited to attend the
exhibition, awards ceremony, workshops and post event party.

More information is available on Facebook - e-Skills Week online social
community - which is receiving hundreds of click throughs a day. European
e-Skills Week updates are also available through Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The European e-Skills Week is an initiative funded by the European
Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry - it demonstrates a unique,
pan-European commitment to building skills and interest in innovation - and
acknowledges the important role digital industry plays in securing Europe's
future economic prosperity.

"By 2015 digital industry has the capacity to create 400,000 new jobs
across Europe. The European e-Skills Week is a landmark initiative to
stimulate interest in e-skills and innovation," said DIGITALEUROPE President,
Erkki Ormala. "Together, digital industry and education are playing an
important role in bringing that goal to fruition."

"The key focus is to move people who live and work in Europe towards a
culture of innovation," said DIGITALEUROPE Director- General, Bridget
Cosgrave. "Informing people about the opportunities associated e-skills, and
embracing advantages offered though digital literacy will bring enormous
benefits to European society and business."

For up-to-date information on all the events please visit:
eskills-week.ec.europa.eu

Opening event

For information: eskills-week.ec.europa.eu/web/guest/opening-event

To register: bit.ly/deezAy

Closing event

For information: eskills-week.ec.europa.eu/web/guest/closing-event

ABOUT DIGITALEUROPE (formerly EICTA)

DIGITALEUROPE (www.digitaleurope.org) is the voice of the European
digital technology industry, which includes large and small companies in the
Information and Communications Technology and Consumer Electronics Industry
sectors. It is composed of 61 major multinational companies and 41 national
associations from 29 European countries. In all, DIGITALEUROPE represents
more than 10,000 companies all over Europe with more than 2 million employees
and over EUR 1,000 billion in revenues.

The membership of DIGITALEUROPE

Company Members:

Adobe, Agilent, Alcatel-Lucent, AMD, Apple, Bang & Olufsen, Bose,
Brother, Canon, Cisco, Corning, Dell, EADS, Elcoteq, Epson, Ericsson,
Fujitsu, Hitachi, HP, IBM, Infineon, Ingram Micro, Intel, JVC, Kenwood,
Kodak, Konica Minolta, Lexmark, LG, Loewe, Micronas, Microsoft, Mitsubishi,
Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, NXP, Océ, Oki, Oracle,
Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Qualcomm, Research In Motion, Samsung, Sanyo,
SAP, Sharp, Siemens, Sony, Sony Ericsson, STMicroelectronics, Sun
Microsystems, Texas Instruments, Thales, Thomson, Toshiba, Xerox.

National Trade Associations:

Austria: FEEI; Belgium: AGORIA; Bulgaria: BAIT; Cyprus: CITEA; Czech
Republic: ASE, SPIS; Denmark: DI ITEK, IT-BRANCHEN; Estonia: ITL; Finland:
FFTI; France: ALLIANCE TICS, SIMAVELEC; Germany: BITKOM, ZVEI; Greece: SEPE;
Hungary: IVSZ; Ireland: ICT IRELAND; Italy: ANITEC, ASSINFORM; Lithuania:
INFOBALT; Netherlands: ICT OFFICE, FIAR; Poland: KIGEIT, PIIT; Portugal:
AGEFE, APDC; Romania: APDETIC; Slovakia: ITAS; Slovenia: GZS; Spain: AETIC,
ASIMELEC; Sweden: IT&Telekomföretagen; United Kingdom: INTELLECT; Belarus:
INFOPARK; Norway: ABELIA, IKT NORGE; Switzerland: SWICO; Turkey: ECID, TESID,
TÜBISAD; Ukraine: IT UKRAINE

About European Schoolnet:

European Schoolnet (www.eun.org) is a network of 31 Ministries of
Education in Europe and beyond. EUN was created more than 10 years ago with
the aim to bring about innovation in teaching and learning to its key
stakeholders: Ministries of Education, schools, teachers and researche

Early registrations for the European e-Skills Week Opening Event have
been strong. Young professionals, general ICT practitioners and industry
representatives are invited to check details and register to attend events
online at the official European e-Skills website:
eskills-week.ec.europa.eu

To register:

For more information please contact:

Natalia KUROP - DIGITALEUROPE, Director, Marketing & Communications

T. +32-2-609-53-26 >> F. +32-2-609-53-39 >> M. +32-487-34-05-71 >> E.
natalia.kurop@digitaleurope.org

Alexa JOYCE - European Schoolnet, Senior Communications & Business
Development Manager T. + 32-2-790-7554 E. alexa.joyce@eun.org

For more information please contact: Natalia KUROP - DIGITALEUROPE, Director, Marketing & Communications, T. +32-2-609-53-26 >> F. +32-2-609-53-39 >> M. +32-487-34-05-71 >> E. natalia.kurop at digitaleurope.org; Alexa JOYCE - European Schoolnet, Senior Communications & Business, Development Manager T. + 32-2-790-7554 E. alexa.joyce at eun.org