EU seals pact with firms in bid to fill 700,000 tech jobs

The European Commission unveiled a deal with Hewlett-Packard, Telefonica and eight other telecoms and technology firms aimed at filling up to 700,000 high tech job vacancies.

Calling it a grand coalition, European Union Telecoms Commissioner Neelie Kroes said the companies pledged to offer training, free online university courses or provide start-up funding. The European Commission is seeking to spur economic growth, boost competitiveness and tackle a record jobless total of 26.1 million in the 27-country European Union, or 10.7 percent of the working population. High tech vacancies have proven hard to fill because job seekers either do not have the right qualifications, have qualifications not recognized throughout the European Union or do not speak English.