PR Strauss

ICT Job Opportunities and Disadvantaged People: 

ICT Job Opportunities and Disadvantaged People Robert Strauss Head of Unit Knowledge Society Directorate General Employment and Social Affairs European Commission

ICT: A challenge for disadvantaged people: 

ICT: A challenge for disadvantaged people a threat: jobs and exclusion an opening: employment and social access

Disadvantaged people: 

Disadvantaged people Employed in jobs at risk Unemployed Disabled people

Job opportunities from ICT: 

Job opportunities from ICT ICT skills for unemployed and workers at risk Teleworking and assistance technologies Targeted on-line recruitment

ICT skills for the unemployed and workers at risk of unemployment: 

ICT skills for the unemployed and workers at risk of unemployment Digital literacy essential today 50% of all jobs require digital skills New jobs see a much higher percentage But only 31% of unemployed say they have any computer training 6% of unemployed received Public Employment Service training

(continued): 

(continued) At risk socio-economic groups also see low skills 12 of the low educated have computer training Government and social partners have a key role Two examples of successful initiatives follow

Slide7: 

Sweden: SwIT programme (joint project - government and industry) Vocational training - 75% of places to unemployed. Special opportunities for women, emigrants and occupationally disabled. 2/3 of people got a job. Austria: “abzwien.techno-media-centre” (Public Employment Service and City of Venice and ESF) Supports ICT take-up for long-term unemployed women with one year training.

Teleworking and assistance technologies: 

Teleworking and assistance technologies Telework can be good for all workers Especially productivity enhancing for: the disabled with limited mobility workers in border/rural areas But only 6% of EU workers telework, the disadvantaged even less

(continued): 

(continued) Efforts to improve underway In Spain the region of Aragon runs REDAR - an initiative to encourage telework for, and teletraining of, people with disabilities in rural areas

(continued): 

(continued) Appropriate assistive technologies are key for people with disabilities Work is underway on setting standards to ensure accessibility to ICT equipment The publication of “design for all” accessibility standards for IT products is scheduled for end of 2002

Targeted on-line recruitment: 

Targeted on-line recruitment On-line recruitment services Seeking jobs is a favourite internet activity. One third of unemployed look for a job on the Net. Online recruitment can match job availibilities with special needs which the disadvantaged often have. Public Employment Services increasingly use on-line recruitment.

(continued): 

(continued) In Spain, the web-site MERCADIS provides free job search for disabled people. Four hundred firms are using the site to advertise jobs, recruitment of disabled has been high.

CONCLUSIONS: 

CONCLUSIONS ICT may pose a threat but it is an opportunity for disadvantaged people working. Governments and social partners need to strive to ensure disadvantaged people benefit from these opportunities and do not experience further exclusion from employment.