E-Skills Week 2012 Computer skills in the EU27 in figures

STAT/12/47

26 March 2012

E-Skills Week 2012
Computer skills in the EU27 in figures

The increasing use of computers in the work place has led to computer literacy being a necessity in a large majority of professions. A sound understanding and knowledge of computer applications and programs is becoming more and more important in working life1.

On the occasion of the e-skills week2, which will take place from 26-30 March 2012, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, publishes data on university graduates in computing3 and computer skills of individuals4. The European e-Skills week 2012 is a European campaign focused on raising the interest of young people in ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) as well as showing people how to get jobs and
e-skills for life in the digital age.

In the EU27, 3.4% of graduates obtained a degree in computing in 2009

In the EU27, the share of computing graduates was 3.4% of all university graduates in 2009, compared with 4.0% in 2005. Among the Member States, the development of the share of computing graduates between 2005 and 2009 has been mixed. The highest increases were registered in Malta (1.9% of all graduates in 2005 to 5.6% in 2009) and Hungary (2.0% to 3.4%), and the largest decreases in Portugal (5.1% to 1.7%) and the United Kingdom (5.9% to 4.0%). In 2009, the highest shares of computing graduates were found in Malta and Austria (both 5.6% of all graduates), Spain (5.1%), Cyprus (4.7%) and Estonia (4.4%).

Share of individuals having used a PC varies between 50% in Romania and 96% in Sweden

In 2011, more than three quarters of those aged 16-74 in the EU27 had used a computer5, while this share was 96% amongst those aged 16-24. The highest shares of those aged 16-74 having used a computer were observed in Sweden (96%), Denmark, Luxembourg and the Netherlands (all 94%), and the lowest in Romania (50%), Bulgaria (55%) and Greece (59%). In most Member States the share of young people who had used a computer was above 95%.

A fifth of those aged 16-24 in the EU27 have written a computer program

In 2011, almost two thirds of individuals aged 16-74 in the EU27 reported having moved or copied files or folders on a computer, compared with 89% for those aged 16-24. Of those aged 16-74, 43% stated they had used basic arithmetic formulas in a spreadsheet6, while this share was 67% among the younger age group. Three out of ten individuals aged 16-74 had created an electronic presentation6, compared with six out of ten individuals aged
16-24. The share of individuals in the EU27 having written a computer program6 was 10% amongst those aged
16-74 and 20% amongst the younger age group.

Computing graduates & computer use

: Data not available

* First and second stage of tertiary education (International Standard Classification of Education levels 5 and 6).

** Data for Greece: 2008 instead of 2009; data for Italy for 2009 refer to ISCED level 5 only.

Computer skills of individuals, 2011

% all individuals

( ) Data with reduced reliability due to small number of respondents.

• For more information, see the "Digital Agenda Scoreboard 2011"of the Directorate General Information Society of the European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/digital-agenda/scoreboard/index_en.htm and the pillar "Digital Competence in the Digital Agenda":

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/digital-agenda/scoreboard/docs/pillar/digitalliteracy.pdf

• More information on the e-skills week campaign can be found here: http://eskills-week.ec.europa.eu/

• Computing: Computer sciences: system design, computer programming, data processing, networks, operating systems and software development (hardware development is classified in engineering).

• Data on computer skills come from the surveys on ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) usage in households and by individuals. The survey covered households with at least one person aged 16-74, and individuals aged 16-74. Further information can be found in the dedicated section on the Eurostat website:

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/information_society/introduction

• A computer is defined as a multi purpose machine, powered by one of the major operating systems, e.g. MacOS, Linux, Windows. Devices considered as personal computers in the survey include desktops, laptops, netbooks and tablets; smart phones are excluded.

• Used basic arithmetic formulas in a spreadsheet means e.g. to add, subtract, multiply or divide figures in an Excel sheet. Created electronic presentations with presentation software (e.g. slides), including e.g. images, sound, video or charts, could be PowerPoint slides, but also photo presentations in form of books etc. for which use of specific software installed, downloaded or directly used via the internet would be required. Written a computer program using a specialised programming language refers to the use of high-level computer languages.