Qualification in IT jobs in European countries

Citation

(2003), "Qualification in IT jobs in European countries", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 37 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/prog.2003.28037dab.014

Qualification in IT jobs in European countries

Qualification in IT jobs in European countries

The qualifications of employees who have gained their expert knowledge in information technology (IT) through work experience shall, according to the intention of the European Union (EU), soon become comparable beyond national borders. As a foundation for this, the umbrella organisation of the European Informatics Professionals Societies (CEPIS) is taking the lead in developing a harmonised certification procedure, which will make proofs of qualification in a modular system with different levels possible. CEPIS unites 36 informatics professionals societies from 31 countries, among them the 15 EU-countries and all EU-aspirants.

Since September 2002, research in this area has been under way in Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Norway and the UK to study the conditions which have to be met for a pan-European certification system. Six further countries have already expressed a strong interest in participation. The EU is supporting the market validation project with funds from their TEN-Telecom-Programme (Trans European Telecommunications Networks, now eTEN). It is planned to then use the results for a “European-Professional-Informatics-Certification” concept, or EUCIP.

The use of the respective national languages during training as well as for recognition of qualifications is an essential criteria for a pan-European harmonisation. The project director, Peter Weiss, from the Informatics Research Centre at the University of Karlsruhe reported:

During the planning of our project we noticed that it is essential to proceed country specific. The English language is surely very helpful in all European countries nowadays; but the market participants want to give qualified answers to complex questions predominantly in their native language.

Beyond this, Weiss added:

It has been shown that cultural differences have to be taken into consideration in the approach to the training. A close involvement of institutes for training and further education in the certification concept will also be necessary for a long-term successful establishment of an international qualification.

CEPIS developed the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) and introduced it in Europe very successfully. National learning providers train and test interested candidates on the basis of a European-harmonised training and testing profile for the ECDL.

For further information please contact: Peter Bumann, EPICS Project Co-ordination, CEPIS – Council of European Professional Informatics Societies, Stresemannallee 15, VDE-Haus, D-60596 Frankfurt/Main, Germany. Tel: +49(0) 69 6308-392; Fax: +49(0) 69 96 31 52 33; E-mail: secretary@cepis.org; URL: www.cepis.org