The FINANCIAL — Brussels – European youth are very open to mobility – 86 percent would find it desirable to move between countries and 87 percent want to move between industries.
The FINANCIAL — Brussels – European youth are very open to mobility – 86 percent would find it desirable to move between countries and 87 percent want to move between industries. While 63 percent felt that the educational system was not preparing them adequately for the digital economy, an overwhelming 70 percent felt that they would succeed by acquiring skills post education. Around 73 percent of young Europeans believe that technology will enable transparency within the future economy, according to Tata Consultancy Services, one of the leading IT services.
The survey comes at a time when economic sentiment is on the rise with EU GDP forecast to grow by 1.5 percent in 2014. Digitisation and the internet are seen as powerful motors in creating much-needed new jobs that need to come along with economic growth. Estimates predict that completing the EU's Digital Agenda could create up to four million new jobs. As a new generation of European youth seeks to enter and re-define the workplace, the survey found a highly positive prevailing sentiment towards mobility, skills and technology, according to Tata Sons Ltd.
“The world is becoming digitised at a breath-taking rate, impacting every aspect of our lives from the political to the personal, to the ways we live and work," said Neelie Kroes, vice-president of the European Commission and Commissioner for the Digital Agenda. "The digital revolution will affect and benefit every European – but it is the younger people who will shape it most, and be shaped by it. This is why this timely and insightful research from TCS and ThinkYoung is welcome. In order to better meet the needs of coming generations it is incumbent on us as employers, educators and regulators to understand their expectations of what is here termed the 'digital enterprise',” Kroes added.
“As a young company, with a majority of our 300,000 employees belonging to GenY, we are pleased to enable the voices, hopes and preferences of European youth through this survey," said N Chandrasekaran, chief executive officer and managing director, TCS. "Over 90 million Europeans who comprise Generation Y will enable the next generation of digital enterprises, but we must first enable them to do so with the right digital skills. Investment in crucial disciplines such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is vital for Europe’s future competitiveness,” Chandrasekaran added.
“We are delighted to partner with Tata Consultancy Services to share the insights of young Europeans on future of the workplace and grateful to them for enabling our voice," said Andrea Gerosa, chief thinker, founder and member of the board, ThinkYoung. "The fact that almost 87 percent of young Europeans desire to move and work abroad at some point in their life is a testament to the founding principles of the EU, and a strong success we should credit to the European Institutions. Young people across Europe share a positive outlook towards technology and the opportunities it will create for them in the future workplace,” Gerosa added.
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