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Early and sustainable encouraging of scientific and technical talent and skills

Agueda Gras-Velazquez

16 and 17 June 2011

Digital Assembly 2011

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Europe’s role for innovation in global scenario driven by IT.

• Context:

– Europe faces a widening ICT skills gap particularly in female population

– e-Skills have become a key component of practitioner skill requirement for new job

• 90% of jobs will require basic ICT skills i.e. digital literacy

• 20% of employees expected to have advanced ICT skills

• IT will generate 5.8 million new jobs in the next 4 years

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Economic crisis

e-skills more

valuable

powerful engine for

jobs creation

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Europe’s role for innovation in global scenario driven by IT.

• Objectives: – Europe as amplifier of value in the global chain & focus on value

creation through innovation– Europe as ‘go-to destination’ for e talent and high value

innovation– Recruiting more females to help closing the skills gap

• Obstacles:– Lack of appropriate skills in Europe – Representation of women in ICT-related jobs relatively low– Few girls currently entering the technology sector

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Need to address the gender gap in ICT-related job to contibute to decrease the e-skills gap in Europe

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Gender divide in ICT studies and careers

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“ Women are significantly under-represented across the board in ICT – from education and training programmes right through to high level careers in the sector, whether in academia or industry”*

* Jan Figel’, European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth

** Viviane Reding, former European Commissioner for Information Society and Media

“In short, Europe needs more "cyberellas" – women equipped with the e-Skills needed for the future. These skills are key to ensuring Europe retains a major role in the ICT sector of tomorrow. To tap this vast pool of talent, special attention

must be paid to raising the participation of women in this field.”**

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Priorities and impacts (1)

Gender neutral STEM education in schools

Informal teacher training opportunities on gender-neutral STEM approaches

Increased number of girls entering STEM

studies at tertiary level Increased number

of women entering STEM

careers

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Scaling up after school activities (robotics) via STEM

clubs – for more gender neutral and creative manner

Pilot network of schools to test gender neutral STEM methodologies in schools

Addressing the lack of gender neutrality of

careers advice in schools with training for career

advisors

Improved teaching methods and

approaches for gender neutral

STEM education

Pan EU Network of schools,

teachers and careers advisors active on gender

neutral STEM

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Priorities and impacts (2)Permanent platform on

girls & STEM education as part of existing STEM European initiatives

Increased motivation of female students for STEM

subjects

Parents and teachers age group attitude and

perception of technology improved 6

Policies to address parents and teachers age group

stereotyped thinking of technology and the sector

Enhancing evaluation & benchmarking of current

STEM girls outreach programmes

Deploying wider across Europe

innovative effective approaches from

MoEs, associations, federations and

industry

Improved STEM literacy among

all girls

Increased number of

girls entering STEM studies

at tertiary level

Increased number of girls taking

part in STEM outreach actions

Improved STEM outreach for girls on basis of evaluation and benchmarking

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Permanent platform on girls & STEM education

• Establishment of permanent platform on girls and STEM education as part of existing STEM initiatives in Europe, including EU level coordination and national partners in at least 20 countries

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