Get Online Week 2013

Get Online Week 2013 (GOW2013) took place between 18-24 March and was supported by the  Get Online Week Alliance created by Accenture, Liberty Global & Microsoft.

In 2013 the campaign expanded horizons from getting people online to engaging and empowering people to use technology and the internet with confidence and skills that allow them to benefit of the online world of opportunities.

During the campaign, the ICT learning networks used various learning products supporting three themes: My eSkills Portfolio, My Digital Identity and My Online Journey.

In 2013 the online counter  was transformed into a mini-survey. It provided live online data on how Europeans are engaged online throughout the Get Online Week campaign activities and included, besides the demographic questions in multiple languages, at least one question on the online behavior of the  participant.

Empowering youth

The campaign had a strong focus on empowering youth already online with activities that build upon their knowledge to use the internet and technology to further develop their personal & professional lives.

For this part of the campaign, the participating networks worked around the theme of  “My digital identity” with activities around :

• Media literacy
• Social media
• Internet security and data privacy

Towards a job full of ICT

Get Online Week 2013 also wanted to direct more young people into computing degrees. Because, despite very high levels of unemployment, a lot of shortages in ICT skills have been identified while the demand for ICT practitioners continues to grow by around 3% a year.

This impending e-skills gap and mismatch between the skills available and the needs of the ICT labour market has already created a shortage in the ICT workforce in Europe, and, depending on the scenario to become a reality, up to 860.000 vacancies could remain unfilled by 2015.

That is why the campaign wanted to encourage young people and especially young women to take up a career in ICT, so to help reduce the mismatch & shortage in skills, and hence unemployment in general.

For this part of the campaign, the participating networks worked around the theme “My eSkills Portfolio” with activities around:

• E-Skills development (Employment Toolkit, Skillage,  digital competence certifications (MTA free exam vouchers), other tests and promotion)
• Digital skills for entrepreneurship & social innovation
• ICT career days for students

Engaging new onliners

The campaign also brought together young and older people in exciting intergenerational learning activities.

Because in many European countries digital inclusion is still extremely important, and the campaign keeps aiming to engage new internet users online.

For this part of the campaign, the participating networks worked around the theme of “My Online Journey” with activities around:

• Introduction to internet & digital skills for first time users and beginners (through youth online, intergenerational learning (Internet Buttons), children online)
• Introduction to new e-services (relevant for country, target audiences, telecentres)

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM GET ONLINE WEEK 2013 HERE.