ICT in society

Draft

ICT affects many aspects of society. This piece should become an overview article at some point - Daniel K. Schneider 12:17, 27 October 2009 (UTC).

Definition of ICT skills

Van Welsum and Vickery (2005:6) define three categories of ICT skills:

1. ICT specialists, who have the ability to develop, operate and maintain ICT systems. ICTs constitute the main part of their job â they develop and put in place the ICT tools for others.
2. Advanced users: competent users of advanced, and often sector-specific, software tools. ICTs are not the main job but a tool.
3. Basic users: competent users of generic tools (e.g. Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) needed for the information society, e-government and working life. Here too, ICTs are a tool, not the main job.

A few facts

According to OECD:

• The share of ICT specialists employment in business in most developed countries in 2006 varies between 4% and 10%. The EU15 aggregate was 2.61 in 1995 and 3.06 in 2007. (ICT occupation, narrow definition, retrieved 12:17, 27 October 2009 (UTC)).
• The share of ICT-related jobs in the total economy of developed countries in 2007 varies between 20 and 30%.

(ICT-related occupations in selected countries, broad definition). The EU15 aggregate was 20.62% in 1995 and 22.04% in 2007.

Links

• OECD Key ICT Indicators
• ICT Skills and Employment

Bibliography

• Van Welsum, D. and G. Vickery (2005), “New Perspectives on ICT Skills and Employment”, DSTI Information Economy Working Paper, DSTI/ICCP/IE(2004)10/FINAL, OECD, Paris; available at: www.oecd.org/sti/ICT-employment

• OECD (2004). Information Technology Outlook 2004, OECD, Paris.

• OECD (2008). Information Technology Outlook 2008, OECD, Paris.