In 2015, if youth continue to avoid technical schools, Europe could see a shortage of 500,000 IT specialists

The relationship manager of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Braşov, Adrian Rogoz, announced that the eSkills 2010 project will take place all over the European Union. This represents a campaign to raise awareness among European citizens on the growing importance of IT skills in their professional activity and in their day-to-day life. A predominant objective of the eSkills campaign is to encourage youngsters to turn to IT studies and careers and to raise public awareness get the public familiar with information technology and Internet.

The promoters of the event estimate that over 300,000 individuals will attend the events of the campaign in all the member countries of the EU (conferences and seminars, training sessions, online contests, tours of IT&C companies). In Romania, the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Communication and Information Society will cooperate on the project with HP, IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle.

According to Rogoz, who quoted European analysts, Europe will have a deficit of 500,000 IT specialists by 2015 if the current trend of youngsters to avoid technical studies across remains constant across Europe. The large deficit of IT specialists threatens the competitiveness of the European economy in the era of the global markets. This affects the development of the high tech industries and slows the pace of innovation, which in turn influences the productivity of complimentary industries.

During the "eSkills" week, the Romanian divisions of Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Oracle and HP together with A.P.D.E.T.I.C. ( the Association of IT&C Equipment Manufacturers and Distributors) and other non-government organizations will be open for visiting by Romanian youth. Students will become familiar with the educational programs available and with professional training opportunities, social responsibility projects as well as Green IT projects.