In today's global financial crisis, jobs in information and communication technologies (ICT) sectors like telecoms and the internet are reliable sources of growth and crucial for the recovery of the economy. However, the EU's competitiveness depends on attracting and keeping skilled workers, especially in the high-tech sector, including women. But while a shortage of around 300,000 qualified engineers is expected in the EU by 2010, less than 1 in 5 computer scientists are women. The European Commission responded in 2007 by encouraging telecoms and internet companies to attract more "cyberellas" – women with ICT skills. As a result, five major ICT companies has signed a Code of Best Practices for Women and ICT. They are committing to do more to make tech jobs attractive for women and to make better use of and promote female potential in the ICT sector.

ICT sector is only starting to realise the scale of the issue and how important it is to attract women, and to close the skills shortage we are facing in Europe. The ICT sector in Belgium currently faces a shortage of 10,100 IT qualified staff, in Poland 18,300, in Italy 2,800, in France 4.300, in Spain 41,800 and in Germany even 87,800 I call on other ICT companies to follow suit and sign the Code for Women and ICT by the end of this year."

The European Commission has signed a Code of Best Practices for Women and ICT by five European and multinational companies: ALCATEL-LUCENT, IMEC, ORANGE-FRANCE TELECOM GROUP, MICROSOFT and MOTOROLA. This results from industry talks launched by Commissioner Reding on International Women's Day 2008.

The Code aims to attract girls at school or university to the high-tech sector but also retain and promote women already working in this sector through:

• Establishing Girls Labs or Computer Clubs for Girls.
• Mentoring programmes during maternity leave.
• Practical help in balancing family and work-life.
• Women's ICT forums and networks offering support on job searches, advice and mentoring.
• Setting targets for the recruitment and promotion of female ICT professionals at all levels

The European Commission will closely monitor the implementation of this Code and will assess it in a year's time. "Such good practices need to be complemented by firm targets. One practical way to do this is to boost the representation of women in the Boards of ICT companies", said Commissioner Reding. "Only 7% of board members in the 116 major ICT companies are women. Therefore, let's set ourselves a target to double this by 2015."

The European Commission began its pilot exercise with the "Shadowing initiative" two years ago to stimulate the interest of more young women, who are at the point of deciding on their future career. The scheme offers young women the experience of accompanying a female senior manager working in the ICT sector during a typical working day. In March 2008 this initiative was lanched by the Commissioner Reding.