Author's entries

You’ve all seen the figures over the past year and more that show high youth unemployment across some European Union Member States. But do people know that technology can have an enabling role in Europe and beyond? 

Only 50 percent of startups in the EU make it to five years, according to OECD. After the initial first years of getting established in a corner of the market, and generating and acquiring funds, startups face an additional type of challenge, one much less talked about - talent management.

Digital skills are in short supply at a time when Europe needs them most. According to European Commission estimates, Europe faces a shortfall of 700,000 digitally skilled workers by 2015, a gap that seriously threatens the region’s ability to compete. With youth unemployment in some countries as high as 50 per cent, the financial burden of supporting the young jobless is jeopardising future economic...

Youth unemployment in Europe is high. In many cases there are jobs available but the skill sets to meet them are scarce. Digital skills are in high demand and essential for enhancing employability, and driving innovation and sustainable growth in Europe. 

Where Europe succeeds, we succeed Europe matters to us. For the past thirty years, it’s been our aim to help fuel the European economy with the programs, partnerships, products and services we deliver, through ourselves and others. Our investment has reaped significant return for thousands of new and existing businesses across the continent.

I have highlighted in my articles before, how we should prepare people for Europe 2020 jobs and the importance of elevating young people for the new world of work, however I have to re-emphasise once again some fundamental ideas about unemployment of today, and of jobs of the future.

Over the last few decades microprocessors and software have been increasingly present in cars. Today, an average car might contain as many as 50 microprocessors, each with their own piece of software on them. Electric cars have even more electronics on them and it is likely that tomorrow’s car will have even more!

I’m glad to see that alongside the topic of sustainable cloud computing, a central theme at this year’s BizSpark Summit will be on funding solutions for small and medium-size businesses (SMEs). It needs to be discussed.

The ‘European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion' is drawing to a close. This should make us wonder why we still see an unacceptably high number of Europeans enduring both poverty and social exclusion. Both are being heightened by the economic crisis, but the headlines often focus on the immediate casualties of the crisis – those whose jobs and benefits come first in the firing...

Many of the jobs in the next two decades simply do not exist today. Regardless of economic sector - retail, automotive, logistics, tourism, manufacturing or telecom- the transformation of industrial processes is upon us! However- are Europeans equipped and in the right skills ‘gear’ for a more digitally driven economy?

While there are some great success stories for us to highlight, it’s important we don’t lose sight of the major hurdles that entrepreneurs still face in Europe. 

Creativity is at the heart of stimulating innovation and fostering sustainable growth at European level.  When it is combined effectively with new digital technologies it can solve some of today’s greatest global challenges whilst at the same time generating new employment pathways in the region.

I want to share my reflections on the recent announcement of the “Youth on The Move” initiative launched by the European Commission.  First of all, I was very pleased to see how much this initiative recognizes that opening doors to employability is at the heart of Europe’s success in 2020.  Microsoft is a partner in this journey.

I’m trying hard to contain my pride right now as Microsoft recently won the award for the number one best place to work in Europe, for the third year in a row!  

I strongly believe that innovation is the lifeblood of the 21st century economy. If we just take the way research is done today compared to 15 to 20 years ago we can see a huge difference.

The competitiveness challenge is one which will decide the future of Europe, and given the nature of globalisation, we as a continent need to get further into the business of selling ideas to be able to meet this challenge

Forward-looking perspectives from INSEAD’s recent conference  ‘Building e-Competences to Strengthen Innovation in Europe’  and the European University-Business Co-operation Forum  would suggest that the academic/business footprint on skills and workforce development is moving towards a closer fit but that there is more work to be done!

Jan Muehlfeit, Chairman of Microsoft Europe, on unlocking human potential through inspiring creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship; and improving European competitiveness by re-aligning education programmess and providing support for start-up companies.

I was asked to describe in 5 minutes how we can help to overcome the challenges facing Europe.