Microsoft gets partners for e-skills push

Microsoft has announced two new partnerships to improve the breadth and depth of IT skills in the UK workforce.

Microsoft and financial services company State Street have agreed to provide software and curriculum to help non-governmental organisation Fairbridge train disadvantaged youngsters in IT skills.

Speaking in Edinburgh on the eve of the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum, Nigel Haynes, CEO of Fairbridge, said: "There's a myth that every young person is good on computers.

"[Digital learning] is much more than just sitting down and teaching someone about computers." It's also about teaching young people to realise the relevance of e-skills and understand the importance of learning these skills, he explained. "How to inspire people to see that is another matter."

In a separate deal, Microsoft, Cisco and public sector agency learndirect scotland have launched a scheme called the Industry Alliance for Sustainable Jobs which aims to train 100,000 Scots by 2010 in IT skills. The programme will target both disadvantaged individuals and IT workers who need higher-level skills.

Jean-Philippe Courtois, president of Microsoft International, said: "We need to enable and harness the potential of IT by getting IT training all across Europe."

He added: "The lack of e-skills is slowing down business across Europe."

A recent study conducted by market researcher IDC revealed that 40 per cent of more than 600 European employers surveyed wouldn't consider a candidate if they didn't have appropriate e-skills - and that figure rose to to 60 per cent for certain types of jobs.

IDC research director Marianne Kolding said: "More e-skills and more advanced IT skills are needed across Europe."

But why train up the UK workforce on IT skills when so many low-level IT jobs are being outsourced to India or Eastern Europe?

Fairbridge's Haynes explained how he believes the UK should address the issue of offshoring: "The answer is specialisation. The answer is if we don't do it well someone else will do it for us.

"Young people need to know it won't be a breeze - there will be competition."

Meanwhile IDC's Kolding said some jobs which cannot be outsourced require IT skills. For instance one employer which took part in the IDC research said it needs more skills around the use of handheld devices for stock trading. "This is the sort of skill that will never be offshored," said Kolding.

The partnerships announced today are part of the European Alliance on Skills for Employability which was launched at the 2006 Government Leaders Forum and includes support from Cisco, Microsoft, State Street and several other public and private sector partners.

The Alliance said last year it would provide IT training for 20 million Europeans over the next five years. Microsoft said today it has provided training for more than eight million Europeans in the past three years through partnerships, internships and curriculum development efforts in educational and training institutions.