IT technical skills

CW Benelux: May-July 2016

Welcome to the Computer Weekly ezine focused on the Benelux region. This quarterly publication will look at the issues facing CIOs in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg. Continue Reading

BBC Three builds second base in Birmingham

The BBC announces plans to develop a second Birmingham-based headquarters for BBC Three Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

HSBC cuts hundreds of UK IT jobs

HSBC is cutting its UK IT workforce and transferring jobs to lower-cost countries as part of its global delivery strategy Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Sainsbury’s launches software development apprenticeship in bid to up tech skills

Retailer Sainsbury’s is targeting those with and without previous technical skills to become software development apprentices Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Future Retail Contest: Using tech to tackle retail’s biggest problems

IC Tomorrow’s Future Retail Contest aims to help the retail industry tackle some of its business issues by leveraging retail-focused startups Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Nordics: May 2016

The Nordics is seen as a pioneer of the latest IT. The populations of the region are keen to try out new IT services and it has a large population of IT startups creating them. In banking, for example, the region is pushing the tech boundaries. One of the most overt changes digital technology has brought to people’s lives is how they do their day-to-day banking. Most developed economies are seeing the same trends: bank branches closing; people using cashless payments; and mobile phones becoming the most popular banking tools. But the Nordics could be a pioneer. In this quarter’s issue of CW Nordics, we feature a debate about whether Sweden, the region’s biggest economy, could become the first country in the world to go cashless. Continue Reading

Graph databases are making connections

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the recent global scandal revealed by the Panama Papers relied on graph databases to uncover secrets from huge volumes of data – we look at the business benefits of the technology. Most organisations are failing to take basic IT security measures – we examine why. And we analyse the latest flash storage innovations. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Younger children more interested in technology careers than teens

Younger children are more interested in a career in technology than their older teenage counterparts who become disaffected as they grow older Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW@50: From bricks to clicks – how technology has changed the shopping experience

As Computer Weekly prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, we look back at how retail has evolved from the small corner store of the 1960s to the omni-channel world of today Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Most Influential Women in UK IT 2016: Entrants to the Hall of Fame

Computer Weekly recognises more great women’s lifetime achievements in its Most Influential Women in UK IT Hall of Fame Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

How high-speed rail is accelerating innovation

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how HS2, the UK’s planned high-speed railway, is developing its IT from scratch and as a long-term project is also having to predict the future. We hear from DevOps experts who try to bust some of the myths around continuous software delivery. And our latest buyer’s guide analyses graph databases – the technology that links relations between datasets. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Tech-savvy Asean populations shake up enterprise IT, says AIA CTO

A young, urban and tech-savvy population in the Asean region has forced enterprises to rethink their IT strategies Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Young people unaware of IT roles in financial services

Careers firm Investment 2020 claims young people have little awareness of the IT roles available in the financial services sector, or what routes to take to get there Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

The high-tech travel future for Heathrow

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the CIO of Heathrow Airport, the UK’s busiest air transport hub, about future technology plans and the innovations transforming travel for passengers. We look at the opportunities for utility companies from better use of operational data analytics. And we find out how IT apprenticeship schemes are helping to bridge the digital skills gap, with a visit to Accenture’s Newcastle base. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

UK economy faces digital divide, CBI warns

A report from the Confederation of British Industry and tech giant IBM paints a bleak picture of UK businesses' adoption (or not) of digital technologies Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

BBC micro:bit Model Rocket Car Competition sparks creative interest in Stem

Microsoft and the Bloodhound Project explain how focusing on the creative side of tech helps drive children’s interest in science, technology, engineering and maths careers Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Middle East – April to June 2016

The Middle East is undergoing great socio-political and economic change. While the economics of falling oil prices is driving business diversification in the region, the opening up of the Iranian economy looks set to boost demand. The IT industry is set to play a key role in the region's social and economic future. Continue Reading

The hunters who prey on cyber criminals

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the hunters – a new breed of security expert that proactively hunts down cyber attackers before they can strike. We visit Silicon Valley to meet some of the up-and-coming startups in data analytics and business intelligence. And we hear from IT leaders about the people, process and cultural aspects of managing digital transformation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

CIO interview: Gerard Spans, Arcadis

The CIO of the Netherlands-based global design and consulting company tells Computer Weekly how he manages the three responsibilities which he sees as the future of his role Continue Reading

By

• Jenny Stadigs

Capgemini to build 100-strong team of blockchain specialists

The IT services firm is building a team of 100 blockchain experts as banks start to consider the technology as the future of financial services Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

BBC turns micro:bit computers into IoT devices

The BBC and Nominet demonstrate a new use case for the micro:bit computer and hope to turn Britain’s schoolchildren into internet of things pioneers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Social media could be used to identify refugees, says fintech founder

A panel at the Innovate Finance Summit 2016 discussed ways refugees could access funds, including digital identities, smartphones and peer-to-peer applications Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

How IT in a portacabin supports £1bn London Bridge station overhaul

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how a temporary IT set-up based in a portacabin is supporting the UK’s largest critical infrastructure project – the £1bn redevelopment of London Bridge train station. Our latest buyer’s guide looks at converged infrastructure products. And we analyse research showing data protection topping the list of UK security priorities. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

QA launches cyber attack defence training facility in London

Training firm QA launches a cyber attack simulation facility in London to enable organisations to test and learn cyber defence skills Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CIOs lack faith in IT’s ability to meet digital demands of business

VCE research suggests IT departments lack confidence in their ability to meet the digital demands of their organisation Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Seven steps to digital leadership

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the key characteristics of successful leaders as digital transformation becomes a business priority. We examine Microsoft’s plans for exploiting the internet of things and the role of its Azure cloud platform. And we look back at British IT history after WW2 as the first part of our new series of articles for Computer Weekly’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

John Lewis launches 2016 round of accelerator programme Jlab

Retailer John Lewis launches the 2016 round of Jlab, a programme designed to bring innovation and disruption to the retail industry with technology startups Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

IT services firm creates 500 jobs in Welsh local authority

IT services firm CGI creates 500 jobs in south Wales following a £3.2m investment from the Welsh government Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

DDoS attacks on universities normally performed by “disgruntled” students or employees

The majority of distributed denial of service attacks on universities are made by students or employees, says the head of infrastructure services at the University of London Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Businesses should help shape graduates, says Hitachi Data Systems COO

Lynn Collier, COO of Hitachi Data Systems, wants businesses to collaborate with educational institutions to ensure young people gain the right skills Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

The dawn of managed services in the Middle East

Managed services are on the up in the Middle East, with enterprises looking at ways to support critical infrastructures while they invest in new technologies Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

CIO interview: Martin Uudelepp, Fonus Group

The interim CIO of Swedish family law and funeral group Fonus tells Computer Weekly about his role as a “chaos pilot” Continue Reading

By

• Jenny Stadigs

What does the IT sector think of the UK potentially leaving the EU?

The referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union is fast approaching and the country’s IT sector is taking sides Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

PAC disappointed by Major Projects Authority’s lack of impact

The Public Accounts Committee is concerned that the newly formed Infrastructure and Projects Authority will weaken project scrutiny and become a “champion for government projects” Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Most students say cyber security is a growing threat

Some 70% of higher education students say they are aware that cyber crime and attacks are a threat, but less than half think security is their responsibility Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Europe – March 2016

India once again topped a list of best places to offshore IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) services but, as global delivery becomes the norm, organisations will increasingly look for other locations for a better balance. An annual study from management consultancy AT Kearney revealed its top 55 locations, with India leading the way. But organisations now have many more options, as their criteria for choosing a particular destination extends beyond cost. And it is now common for organisations to use several offshoring locations. Continue Reading

Teens interested in tech, but few seek career in engineering

Most teens show an interest in technology, but do not want careers in engineering due to industry misconceptions Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Bet365 donates Erlang libraries to GitHub

The open-source initiative will help to drive adoption of the Erlang functional programming language among enterprise developers Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

IoT adoption held back by lack of business case, software and skills

The internet of things is at the top of Gartner’s Hype Cycle, but many organisations cannot build a business case to invest in IoT projects Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Why are big government IT projects still going wrong?

The rural payments programme has again been in the spotlight over its failures, continuing the trend of government IT programmes being noted not for their success, but rather the opposite Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Protecting the UK from cyber attacks

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the National Crime Agency’s top cyber cop, Sarah Goodall, about how the police are tackling IT security threats against the country through global collaborations. We ask CIOs for their tips on building an IT strategy for the digital age. And we review the big six storage suppliers’ plans for all-flash arrays. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

CIO interview: Anders Candell, Stora Enso

CIO at Finnish pulp and paper manufacturer shares advice for shouldering a new CIO position and guiding the business towards innovative technology Continue Reading

By

• Jenny Stadigs

FDM everywoman in technology awards 2016 winners

The everywoman in technology awards, sponsored in 2016 by FDM, are designed to showcase many of the great women working in science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) careers. Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Surviving broadband failure

In this week’s Computer Weekly, after the recent BT broadband outage, we examine the options to keep your communications in place in the event of a failure, to ensure business continuity. We look at the prospects for the OpenStack open source cloud platform in the enterprise. And we see how Ireland is making progress on delivering a digital health service. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Media and marketing industries on the lookout for digital skills

Creative industries such as media, marketing, advertising and sales place more value on digital skills than IT and telecoms sector does Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Europe: February 2016

In Europe cloud is restricted and hybrid setups make use of local compute and storage. Continue Reading

'We stumbled on e-commerce,' says Ecco marketing head

Head of e-commerce at retailer Ecco Dana Schwartz explains how the firm’s transformational journey happened as a result of e-commerce adoption Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CIO interview: Ismo Platan, SSAB

Retiring CIO of Swedish steel company tells Computer Weekly about the progress made in merging two Nordic steel firms and looks at the biggest hurdles that lie ahead Continue Reading

By

• Jenny Stadigs

Digital internships in India with TCS now open to UK graduates

India’s biggest IT supplier, Tata Consultancy Services, plans to recruit 1,000 UK graduates for paid internships over the next four years Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CW500: Skills, changing roles and cloud among key trends for CIOs in 2016

At Computer Weekly’s first CW500 meeting of 2016, CIOs gathered to discuss the role of the CIO, business change, cloud uptake and skills Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

The OpenStack Foundation: Building enterprise trust in open-source clouds

With HMRC and the European Commission emerging as OpenStack adopters, the OpenStack Foundation's CEO explains how it has set about winning over the enterprise with its open-source cloud platform Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

CW Nordics: February 2016

The Nordic region is often described as a region that is leading the way in terms of the use of modern IT. The region needs IT to make up for factors such as having a small population, with many isolated communities. So IT both helps the region punch above its weight in business and enables its residents to receive services effectively. Continue Reading

Smart cities pointless without universal superfast broadband

Smart city deployments will not get very far, or realise effective socioeconomic benefits, if more attention is not paid to the underlying infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Marks & Spencer appoints new chief digital officer

Marcus East leaves role as head of e-commerce at Apple to become CDO at retail chain Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

How software protects people

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how software is helping to maintain safety in high-risk sectors like oil & gas, aerospace and healthcare – and what lessons they hold for other organisations. We offer six tips from CIOs for innovation with data. And after the HSBC cyber attack, we examine the continuing threat to businesses from distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Visa opens up its technology to developers

Software developers at fintech companies and banks are to be given access to Visa’s technology Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

IT industry fails to break male-only stereotype

Almost half of young people think the technology sector is more suitable for men Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Women should worry less about not having tech background when going into Stem

Panellists at Tomorrow’s Tech Leaders Today conference claim women don’t need a technical background to build a career in the technology industry Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Bett 2016: Gender roles should be removed, and not just in Stem

Panellists at Bett 2016 claim gender roles should not only be dispelled in Stem subjects, but in other gender-specific industries Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Lacking the digital skills to shop online costs consumers £744 a year

If consumers are not shopping online for the best deals, they could be missing out on hundreds of pounds of potential savings Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CIO interview: Janne Aalto, Finnish telco DNA

When Finnish telco DNA wanted to transform its business, it made startup consultant Janne Aalto its CIO to lead the move to lean and agile Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

CIO interview: Kari Saarikoski, Finnair

Finnair is on a digital transformation journey and the airline’s CIO is changing the IT department as it progresses Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Rapid Router: why Ocado Technology turned to open source

Retailer’s technology division open-sources learning-to-code initiative to encourage continuous development of coding game Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Aviva partners Beyond the Classroom to inspire girls into tech

Chika Aghadiuno, vice chair of Aviva’s women’s network, says it is important to make young people aware of potential careers Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Fears of software skills shortage in Germany and the Netherlands

Organisations in Germany and the Netherlands are struggling to fill positions for software developers as they digitise Continue Reading

By

• Rian van Heur

BBC CTO Matthew Postgate to head up technology division

Matthew Postgate, chief technology officer of the BBC, will take on a different role in April 2016 leading a new division for the firm Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Airbus rises to business challenges of IT overhaul

CIOs need need to become top marketers to sell the benefits of IT for digital business initiatives, but only a third of CEOs think their CIOs have the right skills, according to Gartner. Continue Reading

CW Europe – December 2015

In this issue we study the meteoric rise of flash storage in Europe. Initially perceived as an expensive and high risk investment, flash has become mainstream and by the end of the decade will be present in the vast majority of the continent's datacentres. Continue Reading

Cloud IT is helping Uefa meet its goals

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how cloud computing is helping European football federation Uefa with preparations for the Euro2016 tournament. We ask if UK government moves to support IT education are enough to bridge the skills gap. And we examine the new international standard for personal data privacy in the cloud and what it means for suppliers. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

IT industry needs people with emotional intelligence, says Network Rail CIO

As Network Rail’s third ‘Could IT be you?’ competition draws to a close, the company’s CIO explains why the project was launched Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

The most influential people in UK IT 2015

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we announce our sixth annual UKtech50 list of the 50 most influential people in UK IT, and talk to this year’s winner – BT chief executive Gavin Patterson, about the challenges facing the telecoms giant in 2016. Also, we find out how the genomics industry is pushing big data technology to its limits. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Sweden considers writing off IT student loans to attract more women

Sweden is considering writing off student loans for women who study IT in an attempt to improve the gender balance in the sector to support digitisation Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

What type of CIO do you want to be?

There are three types of CIO, a major global research study has revealed. Which type would you like to be – trusted operator, change instigator or business co-creator? Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

CIO interview: Turkka Keskinen, UPM

Finnish paper and forest products firm’s CIO tells Computer Weekly about the journey towards cloud-only IT Continue Reading

By

• Jenny Stadigs

CIO interview: Lone Bundgaard, Coloplast

IT development head at Danish medical products and services company plays core role in major change to how the company engages with its customers Continue Reading

By

• Jenny Stadigs

Fujitsu UK CEO calls for more Stem on TV

Fujitsu’s UK and Ireland CEO Regina Moran argues for promoting science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects and careers in the mainstream media Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW Nordics – November 2015 Edition

IT is becoming more important to businesses, in part due to the digital revolution, and the women and men who lead IT are now increasingly coveted. Continue Reading

George Soros backs IT services in eastern Europe

George Soros is investing in an IT company that delivers services to global companies from Ukraine Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How Taiwan is building the internet of things

In this week's Computer Weekly, we meet the Taiwanese companies that are developing the technology building blocks for the internet of things. Our latest buyer's guide looks at the skills needed for modern IT leadership. And we examine the technology options to take superfast broadband speeds even higher. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Placing unemployed women in the IT industry could solve skills gap, says Martha Lane Fox

Speaking at the Microsoft Future Decoded event in London, Martha Lane Fox said giving unemployed women digital skills and IT jobs could solve the skills gap Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Meet the men helping women succeed in IT

In this week's Computer Weekly, we meet the men that have mentored some of the leading women in tech to find out how men can help tackle the diversity gap in IT. We examine how restrictive software licensing is hindering firms' ambitions for digital transformation. And where can CIOs turn to for advice? We look at the options. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Mayor of London launches tech fund for digital skills

A programme has been launched by the mayor of London to ensure young people in the capital are learning digital skills Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Europe – November 2015

Cloud computing has huge benefits to businesses in Europe, but data protection rules have been different for organisations in different parts of Europe. This is about to change with the final version of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) expected soon. All 28 EU member states will have one set of rules to follow. Continue Reading

CIO interview: Torben Høeg Bonde, Vestas

The CIO at Danish wind turbine company Vestas is playing a key role in turning the company into a software supplier Continue Reading

By

• Jenny Stadigs

Using open data to solve social challenges

The Open Data Institute has spent the past two years funding startups to build applications that could solve socio-economic problems Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

More than 70% of teachers still think students are better at using tech

Teachers are still struggling to adapt to the new curriculum, and more than 70% believe their students are more technology-savvy than they are Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Yakult uses data analytics to boost growth in the Netherlands by 20%

Probiotics maker Yakult is using analytics and data visualisation tools to boost its sales in the Netherlands Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

How the Cabinet Office is using open data to tackle youth unemployment

The Cabinet Office invited IT professionals and young people to a Job Hack event with the aim of using open government datasets to help more young people into work Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Infosec pros should start preparing for the future, say experts

Information security professionals need to grow their skills, engage with the business, increase security awareness, set business goals and tailor their messages, says a panel of experts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How easyJet uses digital to drive competitive advantage

The CIO and head of digital at easyJet tell Computer Weekly price is not the only way to gain competitive advantage in the airline industry Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

UK digital economy needs 2.3 million digital workers by 2020

The UK will need the skills of 2.3 million digital workers by 2020 if it hopes to power the promised digital economy, according to research from O2 Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Apprenticeships could stop potential employees falling through the net, says Bellrock

The chief technology officer of facilities management company Bellrock explains why apprenticeships should be used to stop potential IT workers moving to other industries Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Netherlands uses female role models to encourage girls into IT industry

The Netherlands needs to shake up its education system to attract more girls into IT, as only 10% of its IT workforce are women Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

JLab’s 2015 startups explain how the accelerator has helped them

Finalists of the John Lewis JLab accelerator explain what experience they have gained on the programme Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

MPs launch inquiry into the UK's digital economy

Business, Innovation and Skills Committee investigation will examine the challenges facing digital industries Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

More than half of 12-year-old girls say Stem subjects are too hard

Accenture finds more than half of 12-year-old girls in the UK and Ireland think science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects are too hard Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Case study: Philips takes agile approach to building bridges between business and IT

Dutch technology giant talks up the success of its attempts to embrace agile IT delivery methods, and how it's shaping future customer engagements Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

UK CIOs lament lack of IT support for cloud services

Research from ElasticHosts suggests most cloud users are unhappy with the level of tech support they receive from their providers Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

The Data School: Former Facebook employee launches training programme for future data analysts

After working at Facebook as a data analyst, Andy Kriebel explains why he moved to the UK and launched a training programme for data scientists Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

The importance of e-leadership in meeting digital challenges

Henley Business School identifies ICT trends that will alter the demand of e-skills, especially those needed by e-leaders Continue Reading

By

• Maks Belitski