BRUSSELS, February 24, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 http://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:

http://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: http://eskills-week.ec.europa.eu

Opening event

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

To register: http://bit.ly/deezAy

Closing event

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

ABOUT DIGITALEUROPE (formerly EICTA)

DIGITALEUROPE (http://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: ITTelekomföretagen; United Kingdom: INTELLECT; Belarus: INFOPARK; Norway: ABELIA, IKT NORGE; Switzerland: SWICO; Turkey: ECID, TESID, TÜBISAD; Ukraine: IT UKRAINE

About European Schoolnet:

European Schoolnet (http://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: http://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

SOURCE: EUN Association Paternership AISBL

CONTACT: 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, SeniorCommunications Business, Development Manager T. + 32-2-790-7554 E.alexa.joyce@eun.org