Bonn, December 9th, 2009 - Whilst the Dienstleistungsgesellschaft für Informatik (DLGI mbH) welcomes the announcement made by the Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, Rainer Brüderle, to propose an overall strategy for the information and communication technology in Germany in the coming year, it also points out in this context that the strategy should not only involve new technologies, but should primarily concern a compre-hensive basic IT training of the workforce.

On the occasion of the fourth National IT Summit in Stuttgart, the German Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, Rainer Brüderle, announced that the German Government will develop a new strategy for the digital future. In a first step, the Minister declared that the broadband network is to be extended, and he demanded that by the year 2014 three quarters of all German households should have the possibility to surf the Internet at speeds of up to 40 megabits per second.  
In connection with this announcement, Thomas Michel, Managing Director of the Dienstleistungsgesellschaft für Informatik stated: „It goes without saying that the development of the broadband network is very welcome, but it must not be forgotten that this can only be a first step: The bandwidth of data networks is by a long way not as important as the spread of basic knowledge in the use of computers and Internet. Even today there are as good as no jobs in large organizations that do not require basic IT knowledge.“
This is confirmed by a Europe-wide study which was recently conducted by the market research company IDC on behalf of the German subsidiary of the software producer Microsoft. This study concludes that in just a few years 90 percent of all jobs will require IT knowledge. According to the study, this will not only apply to new hires but also to existing staff members.
Against this background, the European Computer Driving Licence ECDL® gains more and more importance. The ECDL is the only digital literacy certification, which is recognized in 148 countries and is independent of manufacturers. The  DLGI is the German accreditation agency for the ECDL and its related IT certifications.
Michel points out: „Especially from the economy we notice an increasing demand for the European Computer Driving Licence ECDL® - both from job applicants and from persons already in employment. Last but not least, the same applies of course to career entry: The school study 2009 commissioned by the DLGI has shown again that pupils who have passed the ECDL have significantly improved chances when applying for their first job.“

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The Dienstleistungsgesellschaft für Informatik (DLGI) was founded to meet the challenge of the increasing skills shortage in the IT industry and in order to guarantee a comprehensive media competence of both users and IT specialists. As an accreditation agency for IT certifications such as the European Computer Driving Licence and the Certified Tester programme, the organization con-centrates on the manufacturer-independent spreading of certifications in the field of information technology. On the basis of a global network, the certificates awarded by the DLGI are internationally recognized to a high degree and are supported by the social partners and by politics. Within Germany, the DLGI cooperates with more than 1,200 authorized examination centers.