The pledgers are part of the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative, which aims to train 1m Europeans in deep tech by 2025.
Several groups are partnering with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to train people across Europe as part of the EIT’s Deep Tech Talent Initiative.
JA Europe, Intel Corporation, Abodoo, Generation, the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Computer Vision Centre and Tampere University of Applied Sciences are all pledging to get behind the scheme.
The Deep Tech Talent Initiative was first launched last year, with the stated aim to address the skills gap in the deep-tech sector. At the launch, the EIT called for pledges from companies and organisations to help to train 1m Europeans in tech over the next three years.
The first wave of pledgers is expected to train half a million people.
Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said the scheme was “a flagship” of the new European innovation agenda.
“The EIT’s Deep Tech Talent Initiative will support Europe to train its talent and be at the forefront of the innovations to come. I am pleased with the progress made since the launch of the initiative last October thanks to EIT’s ability to mobilise an unmatched network of partners in the fields of education, business, and research across Europe and beyond.”
Areas of focus include manufacturing, robotics, AI, blockchain and biotechnology. The initiative currently offers more than 50 different tech courses.
The seven new pledgers are the first group of organisations to get behind the programme as course providers. They join the EIT’s wider network of 3,200 partners.
Courses are available to people in second-level education, higher education and to those seeking further professional development.
The EIT and its new partners are also working to level the playing field for groups that are disadvantaged and underrepresented in the worlds of tech and business.
The Deep Tech Talent Initiative pledge is still open for other organisations to take.
The very first pledger was the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. The Romanian university is bringing its expertise in AI to learners, especially in the fields of biomedical engineering and energy.
Intel Corporation is contributing some of its existing training programmes, such as its Digital Readiness Programmes which prepare learners for the onset of AI technology.
The Computer Vision Centre of Barcelona is also contributing to training in AI as well as entrepreneurial skills.
JA Europe, one of Europe’s largest providers of education programmes for entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy aims to train 390,000 learners by 2025.
Generation is focused on helping to break down barriers to people from underrepresented backgrounds and increase their economic mobility.
Tampere University of Applied Sciences is offering programmes in data and AI, tech management and smart industry automation.
Skills tech company Abodoo is pledging to train 3,000 learners through its technology leadership programme.
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Mariya Gabriel at the opening ceremony of the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum 2018. Image: P Böll/Deutsche Welle /Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0 )
