What is the problem ? Women are under-represented in the ICT sector

The number of young people studying and choosing careers in ICT is decreasing and is not keeping up with growing demand. Women are under-represented at all levels in the ICT sector, especially in decision-making positions..

Why is EU Action required ? We need to attract more women into ICT jobs

in order to realise full equal opportunities and to empower them to participate fully in the information society

What will the Commission do ?

· Provide young women with the opportunity to experience the ICT world through the same web 2.0 tools they use in their everyday social life.

In 2011

• Encourage IT companies to organise internship programmes specifically tailored to young women and continue with the Shadowing Day exercise aimed at showing young people how an IT job looks like (http://ec.europa.eu/itgirls)

In 2012

• Launch a Web 2.0 platform for girls containing teaching packages, specifically tailored and based on tools such as blogs, wikis, fora, social networks, tags, podcasts, videocasts etc
• Launch a longitudinal study on the impact of the Shadowing exercise
• Collect relevant statistics on women in ICT
• Launch programmes for on-line retraining of women returners

Contact:

paul.timmers@ec.europa.eu