The country needs more specialists! That is the maxim of GFT Technologies AG in its efforts to encourage the IT managers of tomorrow. Under the title 'Cleverle für's Ländle' (literally: 'Brains for Baden-Württemberg'), the Stuttgart-based IT company was today awarded as the winner of one of the 365 landmarks in the 'Land of Ideas'. Every year, the initiative ?Germany - Land of Ideas? honours along with Deutsche Bank? 365 companies and institutions that make Germany the 'Land of Ideas' with innovative projects. Under the patronage of Federal President Horst Köhler, Germany is using this initiative to present itself at home and abroad as a centre for business and research.

Ulrich Dietz, CEO of GFT, accepted the prize on the company's behalf, saying: 'We are delighted to receive this award and see it as a confirmation of our commitment. There continues to be a great need to promote young talents. In addition to indepth technological expertise, tomorrow's IT managers also require comprehensive management expertise.' The Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (BITKOM) also believes there is a lack of qualified young executive and management talents in information technology. According to a recent survey, one in three industrial companies in Germany is affected by the lack of IT specialists despite the continuing economic crisis. There is currently an acute need for 20,000 qualified specialists, particularly in IT project management.

Promotion of young talents at GFT - The basis for this is the pooling of resources between a future-oriented IT company and three educational institutions to form an international development and further training association. The cooperation between GFT, the Steinbeis Business Academy, the IESE Business School in Spain, and the Universidade de Sorocaba in Brazil makes it possible for students to take an international Master's degree at one of GFT's 21 subsidiaries. The special features of the networked degree course are a stay abroad, its practice orientation and the individual support offered to students, which Ulrich Dietz comments on as follows: 'We attach particularly great importance to longterm personnel development. After the degree course, an experienced manager accompanies young graduates as part of our mentor programme. GFT will continue to be active in this area and is also planning to initiate a programme to encourage young company founders.?