Rawpixel - Fotolia
CA Technologies rallies workforce to support younger generation
CA Technologies launches Europe-wide programme to get workforce behind closing the Stem skills gap
CA Technologies has launched a Europe-wide programme to encourage its 2,000-strong workforce to address the IT skills gap.
The Create Tomorrow campaign aims to focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) to create digital jobs.
“Every business is a software business in today’s application economy. In a world driven by software, we need to increase the number – and diversity – of those studying and working in Stem fields,” said Marco Comastri, president and general manager of Europe, the Middle-East and Africa at CA Technologies.
“There are too few young people aspiring to study Stem subjects, and there is too great an imbalance in the number of women actively seeking technology roles – both are concerning issues we are committed to addressing,” he said.
Initiatives launched so far include a UK partnership with not-for-profit Learning to Work, which has a year-long programme to show students how different business departments support a company. Starting with a Business Insight Day, around 30 year 10 students will visit CA’s UK headquarters in Berkshire to learn how a technology company functions, with the students presenting their findings at the end of the day.
Other programmes in the UK include CA women leaders visiting nearby girls’ schools to inspire students, in addition to all CA Technologies staff having the opportunity to sign up to become mentors.
In France, CA Technologies has partnered with corporate social responsibility (CSR) association IMS-Entreprendre pour la Cité to encourage the company’s employees to spend more time with young pupils to increase awareness of what it is like to work at a tech company.
Read more about the IT skills gap
- Cisco commits to spending $1bn in the UK by 2020 to support the government’s digital plans following a meeting at 10 Downing Street.
- Focusing on crucial stages of a career in IT is the key to encouraging more women and girls to work in the sector.
- TechUK paper puts forward recommendations to government and industry on closer collaboration to reduce the IT skills shortfall.
In Germany, CA Technologies is working with the Technical University of Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt), as part of the Deutschland Stipendium government initiative. CA is sponsoring students who are studying computer science, electronics and information technology for one year and – in return – the government will double the investment. A Business Insight Day will also be launched in Germany later in 2015.
In Italy, CA Technologies launched a Deploy Your Talents programme in 2013 as part of the European Skills for Jobs campaign. With support from the European Commission, the initiative involves more than 5,000 companies and is coordinated by Fondazione Sodalitas and promoted by Assolombarda and the Lombardy Regional Education Authority. It aims to promote Stem studies and overcoming gender stereotypes through partnerships with schools and businesses.
“Our goal is to inspire secondary school children and teachers to consider subjects needed for a Stem career, influence higher education students to pursue Stem topics and lead in terms of encouraging more women to consider Stem careers,” said Comastri.
CA Technologies also supports the European Commission’s Grand Coalition on Digital Jobs.
“We’re incredibly proud of the initiatives we have in place in support of our Stem pledge. We believe by harnessing the experience of all our employees in Europe we can further help to close the digital skills gap,” said Comastri.
