Belgium (total) 2137 27000 18246 Source: Le Moniteur belge, data from 2012. New technologies The sector of information and communications technology (ICT) produces goods and services that allow the digitisation of the economy. The sector is very active in Belgium through a large number of small and medium enterprises. These companies have been the basis for creating many highly skilled jobs. Today, the ICT sector is growing twice as fast as other areas of the economy. In 2013, there were 36.057 companies in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector in Belgium, showing an increase of 3.4% compared to 2012, and the trend continues. Most of them are services companies, representing 98.5% of the entire ICT sector. The turnover exceeds EUR 39 billion, 34% of it being generated by companies operating in telecommunication25 . The Belgium ICT sector is experiencing an important staff shortage concerning digital experts, terms which covers a large variety of jobs such as Web Designer & Developer, ICT project Manager, ICT Sales & marketing Representative, infrastructure Operation & maintenance Engineer, Customer Service & helpdesk Officer, Technical/Field support Engineer. Agoria recommends raising young people awareness about ICT studies26. Yet the traditional educational system can sometimes give birth to non-‐adapted profiles, as the approach followed can be too theoretical in terms of job needs. The dual vocational (apprenticeship) system could therefore be an interesting answer to respond to staff shortage in the ICT sector, both in terms of practical education to perfectly match companies’ needs but also by opening the access to ICT studies to more young people.
2.2.3. Ireland To be provided/drafted by IDEAS (1 page approx.)
2.2.4. Spain The Metallurgy Sector The metallurgy industry is composed of large companies, above all in the activities of the steel industry and the manufacture of first fusionmetal, and for small and medium enterprises in the smelting and the first Metal Transformation. The large enterprises of the steel industry and metallurgy at first fusion are in general multinationals, but in some cases are of Spanish origin. With the crisis there is a strong marked fall in production and manpower due to the fall in domestic demand and excessively based on the growing construction sector.Employment has experienced a 25
SPF économie: Communiqué de presse http://economie.fgov.be -‐ http://bit.ly/1LYs78n p.4 (28/10/2015). Agoria: http://www.agoria.be -‐ http://bit.ly/1Whixra p.6 (28/10/2015).
26
20 The content of this guide doesn't reflect the points of view of the European Commission and the National Agency