Europe to see 1.5m new ICT jobs by 2010

The ICT sector is the fastest growing area of the European economy and will create 1.5 million new jobs over the next four years, according to a study released today.

Analyst firm IDC found that 60 per cent of the created jobs will be software-related and a third will use the Microsoft platform. 

IDC said that the growth will help generate £95.7bn in new tax revenues over the next four years.

The research, carried out on behalf of Microsoft and announced at the company's SME Innovation Day in Brussels, also found that small and medium sized enterprises had a big part to play in future growth. 

Figures showed that there are 22 million SMEs in Europe, employing close to 120 million people and producing 57 per cent of Europe's GDP.

"The SME sector is the engine of the economy and that is where we all need to invest in order to drive growth and benefit everyone," said Jean-Philippe Courtois, president of Microsoft International.

The IDC report added: "If SMEs can be stimulated into adopting new technologies more rapidly, and creating innovative products more competitively, Europe's position as a leading player in the global economy can be assured."

See also:

IT key to small business success

PCs and the internet now deemed 'indispensable'  31 May 2006

Small manufacturers to spend $23bn in Asia

SMEs respond to greater competition and more open global markets  19 May 2006

NTL Telewest could cut a third of UK jobs

Speculation rife about major cuts as companies merge  08 May 2006

Orange cuts 2,000 UK jobs

Future not bright for staff in reorganisation  08 May 2006

Europe lagging behind in ICT

Not enough investment or uptake, says commissioner Viviane Reding  24 Mar 2006

Oracle axes 2,000 jobs

Siebel developers saved, Oracle CRM developers hit hardest  10 Feb 2006

China's SMEs to spend $18bn on IT in 2006

Small firms spend big on software, services and training  09 Feb 2006

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