Expert Area
European Commission
e-Skills Website
Watch this video to learn more from key stakeholders on the European e-skills strategy, its implementation and the next steps.
National ICT framework stakeholders meet on the European level
Among others, SFIA (UK), CIGREF (France) and AITTS (Germany) represent national respected local competence frameworks and are rooted in national economies and cultures with some linked to national qualification and training. These frameworks will continue to play significant roles. However, as the ICT sector operates globally, the stakeholders of the major ICT frameworks in Europe recognize the value of linking disparate national frameworks at a European level.
AITTS Advanced IT Training System (Germany)
The work process-oriented IT training system AITTS, Advanced IT Training System, has gained legal force in Germany in May, 2002. It aims not only to regulate professional profiles and career paths for the IT sector, it is also the first formal acknowledgment of informal education on the job. The qualification and certification processes are oriented towards the IT processes of a concerned company, instead of toward products and product companies.
In the global business environment of ICT, the AITTS stakeholders support the aim of building a Europe-wide shared framework. The framework should bring an added value to all, namely by its European dimension of jointly defined reference competences.
CIGREF Nomenclature of ICT job profiles (France)
CIGREF is a not for profit association of French companies established to promote the formative use of information systems to enhance their competitiveness, value creation and capacity for innovation. Initially CIGREF focused on the development of a Job Profile Framework as a tool for IT Human Resource Management. However, the CIGREF Framework is evolving and today whilst further developing the Job Profiles these now incorporate identified IT competencies and skills facilitating more effective human resource management.
By 2002, CIGREF recognised that for companies to administer effective IT HR management its Skills and Competence Framework needed to be "fit for purpose" describing career and qualification pathways and qualifications. CIGREF sees its participation in the development of a European e-Competence Framework as a significant step towards achievement of these ideals. The Framework should become a clear and Europe-wide understandable reference tool useful to all stakeholders in the IT ecosystem.
SFIA Skills for the Information Age (United Kingdom)
The SFIA Foundation was founded to serve the skills interests of employers of information technology employers, information technology professionals, education providers, service providers and government. In promoting, developing and maintaining the e-Skills Framework for the Information Age the foundation aimed to influence skills development within the business and educational environment of the United Kingdom.
The application of competence frameworks stretch beyond national boundaries and multinational companies seek to establish consistent cross border skills development strategies. The SFIA Foundation recognises this business requirement and therefore supports the European e-Competence framework initiative. When developed in support of industry, international skills and competences standards are a powerful enabling force with which the SFIA foundation wishes to be associated.
