UK leads Europe in IT skills

The UK leads Europe in training IT professionals, according to a report from e-skills UK.

Alongside Denmark, one in four IT workers in the UK have had some form of professional training in the last month, compared to a European average of about one in six.

"It is very encouraging that the UK is among Europe's leaders in terms of investment in IT professional skills," said e-skills UK chief executive Karen Price in a statement, adding that the research is backed up by a recent report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which ranked the UK third worldwide in terms of IT professional skills.

Despite the comparatively higher investment, the UK still lacks many skilled IT staff, especially senior programmers, as IT PRO reported yesterday.

"The UK starts from a position of considerable strength but it is vital that we do not become complacent," said Price. "Our IT professionals are essential to the UK's economic prosperity in a rapidly changing global knowledge economy. We must ensure they have, and can continue to develop, the skills they need."

The report also said that five million people work in IT roles across the 15 original European Union member states - some three per cent of the workforce. Still, just one in five IT workers in Europe is female - and less than one in 10 in Belgium, Greece, Portugal and Luxembourg - suggesting the gender imbalance remains a major issue in the industry.

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