European Digital Jobs Fair kicks off in Madrid, matching
local job seekers with employers from Spain, the UK,
Germany and the Netherlands
BRUSSELS (November 20th 2015) - Some of the world’s most dynamic companies are gathering in Madrid today
at Telefónica’s headquarters - together with politicians and job seekers - to try to fill over 800 digital job
vacancies in their operations in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands as well as in Spain itself.
Online retailer Amazon, Internet travel company Booking.com, IT giant IBM, online transport company Uber and
GPS maker Tom Tom are among 59 companies that have signed up to participate in a jobs fair of unprecedented
scope.
The European Digital Jobs Fair, organised by DIGITALEUROPE on behalf of the European Commission, is a oneday event with parallel objectives: first, to match job vacancies with job seekers, and second, to draw attention
to an important obstacle to Europe’s efforts to tackle high unemployment and weak economic growth – the lack
of digital skills in Europe.
"In the coming years, 90% of jobs will require some level of digital skills. This is why it is so important for Europe
to promote better digital skills for all workers,” said Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Employment, Social
Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility in a statement supporting today’s event in Madrid.
Her colleague Günther Oettinger, Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society is attending the jobs fair.
In his keynote speech he said “it is unacceptable to see mass unemployment of young people whilst 40% of all
companies trying to recruit ICT professionals in Europe report difficulties to find qualified workers. Something's
wrong there. This is a waste of human talent Europe can no longer afford.”
Unemployment remains worryingly high in countries including Spain, especially among the young. The difficulty
companies face hiring people with the right digital skills is proof that there is a skills gap, which is widening.
“It’s a Europe-wide problem, requiring a Europe-wide solution,” said John Higgins, Director General of
DIGITALEUROPE. “Like the rest of the world Europe is embarking on a digital transformation that will impact
every corner of our economy and society. Having the relevant digital skills isn’t just a plus, it’s a bare necessity,”
he said.
“We hope to be able to announce that many of the 817 jobs on offer today will be filled thanks to this digital jobs
fair,” said Jose Manuel de Riva, President of the Spanish Tech Trade Association, AMETIC. “We welcome the
companies from northern Europe. If Spanish job seekers with the right digital skills can’t find work in their own
country they need to look further afield,” he added.
DIGITALEUROPE
Rue de la Science, 14 - 1040 Brussels [Belgium]
T. +32 (0) 2 609 53 10 F. +32 (0) 2 431 04 89
www.digitaleurope.org | [email protected] | @DIGITALEUROPE
Transparency register member for the Commission: 64270747023-20
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Background
The European Digital Jobs Fair is a collaboration between two European Commission initiatives: EURES, a longstanding employment portal which matches jobs and skills in Europe , and the Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs,
a multi-stakeholder partnership to tackle the lack of digital skills in Europe and the thousands of unfilled ICTrelated vacancies across all industry sectors.
The event is hosted by Spanish telecoms company Telefónica, a supporter of the Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs,
and in partnership with Huawei and Activate (a Google initiative) and Microsoft. DIGITALEUROPE is organising
the one-day event.
More information can be found on the event website.
-For more information please contact:
Paul Meller, DIGITALEUROPE’s Communications Director
+32 497 322 966 or [email protected]
DIGITALEUROPE
Rue de la Science, 14 - 1040 Brussels [Belgium]
T. +32 (0) 2 609 53 10 F. +32 (0) 2 431 04 89
www.digitaleurope.org | [email protected] | @DIGITALEUROPE
Transparency register member for the Commission: 64270747023-20
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ABOUT DIGITALEUROPE
DIGITALEUROPE represents the digital technology industry in Europe. Our members include some of the world's largest IT,
telecoms and consumer electronics companies and national associations from every part of Europe. DIGITALEUROPE wants
European businesses and citizens to benefit fully from digital technologies and for Europe to grow, attract and sustain the
world's best digital technology companies.
DIGITALEUROPE ensures industry participation in the development and implementation of EU policies. DIGITALEUROPE’s
members include 59 corporate members and 35 national trade associations from across Europe. Our website provides
further information on our recent news and activities: http://www.digitaleurope.org
DIGITALEUROPE MEMBERSHIP
Corporate Members
Alcatel-Lucent, AMD, Apple, BlackBerry, Bose, Brother, CA Technologies, Canon, Cassidian, Cisco, Dell, Epson, Ericsson,
Fujitsu, Google, Hitachi, Hewlett Packard, Huawei, IBM, Ingram Micro, Intel, iQor, JVC Kenwood Group, Konica Minolta,
Kyocera, Lenovo, Lexmark, LG Electronics, Loewe, Microsoft, Mitsubishi Electric Europe, Motorola Mobility, Motorola
Solutions, NEC, Nokia, Nvidia Ltd., Océ, Oki, Oracle, Panasonic Europe, Philips, Pioneer, Qualcomm, Ricoh Europe PLC,
Samsung, SAP, SAS, Schneider Electric IT Corporation, Sharp Electronics, Siemens, Sony, Swatch Group, Technicolor, Texas
Instruments, Toshiba, TP Vision, Western Digital, Xerox, ZTE Corporation.
National Trade Associations
Belarus: INFOPARK
Belgium: AGORIA
Bulgaria: BAIT
Cyprus: CITEA
Denmark: DI ITEK, IT-BRANCHEN
Estonia: ITL
Finland: FFTI
France: AFDEL, AFNUM, Force
Numérique
Germany: BITKOM, ZVEI
Greece: SEPE
Hungary: IVSZ
Ireland: ICT IRELAND
Italy: ANITEC
Lithuania: INFOBALT
Netherlands: Nederland ICT, FIAR
Poland: KIGEIT, PIIT
Portugal: AGEFE
Romania: ANIS, APDETIC
Slovakia: ITAS
Slovenia: GZS
Spain: AMETIC
Sweden: Foreningen Teknikföretagen i
Sverige, IT&Telekomföretagen
Switzerland: SWICO
Turkey: Digital Turkey Platform, ECID
Ukraine: IT UKRAINE
United Kingdom: techUK
DIGITALEUROPE
Rue de la Science, 14 - 1040 Brussels [Belgium]
T. +32 (0) 2 609 53 10 F. +32 (0) 2 431 04 89
www.digitaleurope.org | [email protected] | @DIGITALEUROPE
Transparency register member for the Commission: 64270747023-20
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