UK must do better on IT skills

News Article - 04 August 2006
Category: Business

Improving UK IT skills is crucial to meeting European targets for economic growth, according to an IT trade body.

Intellect made the comments in response to a government consultation on UK progress in helping to meet targets set by the EU's Lisbon Agenda.

The agenda aims to make Europe the most competitive and dynamic knowledge economy by 2010.

Intellect said that "active changes" were needed for the UK to have a positive influence.

"We are talking about the UK competing on high-value jobs, but if we do not raise the skills of the workforce, we won't be able to compete," Intellect ebusiness programme manager Beatrice Rogers said in the company's submission.

She added that in her opinion, only financial incentives such as tax breaks will persuade businesses to use them.

"There needs to be something to kick-start the market and change the culture," said Rogers.

The company also had doubts over the European targets as a whole.

"Although some progress has been made on innovating Europe's economy, there is growing concern that member states are not driving the reform process fast enough and that the ambitious targets will not be reached," it said.

"Technology can transform, but it should not be seen as an end in itself. Any technology implementation should be accompanied by an understanding of the business objectives and end user requirements.

"In many cases there should also be a planned change programme to ensure that users and customers buy into the new process," it added.

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