eWORK 2000 - European Telework Week

New Ways to Work 2000European Telework5.9 ItalyIntroductionBy looking to the performance of the so called “Technology Stocks”, the year 1999 may not only beconsidered as the end of last century but already the start of the new millennium.. The most frequent image onecould see in Italy, was somebody giving advice over his cellular phone, on the best stock pick for the day.Telecom ItaliaMediasetTelecom Italia MobileTiscali NetworksOlivettiSeat Pagine GialleAnd despite the ups and downs of the Mibtel index; last year events at the Italian stock market had a furtherreaching effect on people than all the telework stimulation activities undertaken during last decade, now peopleare more aware that something is going to change the way they live and work.Economic and employment backgroundOne of the major concerns about the information society has been always the end balance produced by thenumber of jobs that eventually will disappear and those jobs that are being created. Although it is still to earlyto answer to this issue; the results during 1999 as regards the employment situation of the ICT sector in Italy,not only showed a positive growth but suffered an increase of the gap between available resources and sectorrequirements.ICT Employment in Italy1997 1998 1999SW & Services 189,595 200,022 212,372Telecomm 137,629 144,271 145,261HW & Tech. Support 49,936 51,069 52,541Others 28,825 30,216 31,348Total Employed 405,984 425,578 441,522Total Required 442,600 481,260Deficit -17,022 -39,738Source: Assinform, Federcomin, ECTFA recent study made by Federcomin, branch of the Confederation of Italian Industry, has estimated that theshortage of skilful personnel will create a market loss of 1% by the end of 2000. This study also shows that ifnothing is done, the gap between industry demand for ICT professionals and market availability will reach an18% deficit by the year 2002.- 81 -