Starting mid 1998, a network of five business and engineering High Schools,
one in each main town of the French-speaking provinces of Belgium, runs
a full, modular, education programme covering organizational, managerial
and socio-psychological, as well as technical aspects of telework implementation
in an enterprise. Self-training centers are also provided. The target
users are potential teleworkers and their managers and employers, in SMEs.
ETDs National Coordinator for Belgium, Christian Van Asbroeck,
is collaborating to the marketing of the programme and has been running
the initial sessions in all locations. He will also deliver the management
courses together with IBM Belgiums telework guru, Jos Goffin. As part
of the promotion activities, it is planned to organize networked open-door
sessions in the five provinces during European Telework Week 98, early
in November.
Euro-Télétravail is an Objective 4 initiative, designed to enhance
workers adaptivity to industrial changes. Supported by the European Social
Fund (ESF), the ultimate goal of the three-year project is the creation
of a European network of education centres offering a coordinated regular
course programme in telework. Current associates are the University of
Firenze, Italy (Banca Impresa project) and the University of Erfurt, Germany
(teleworked jobs creation project in Thuringia).
Contact: Christian Van Asbroeck, E-mail: vanasbroeck@compuserve.com
- OSPRACT - Observatoire Syndical des Pratiques et Conséquences
du Télétravail
In order to promote trade union discussion and analysis of technological
and social change and especially of information and communication-based
society, the Institut Wallon dEtudes, de Recherches et de Formation (IWERF)
which works for the Belgian Labour General Federation (FGTB) collaborates
to the development of a Trade Union Observatory of Practices and Consequences
of Teleworking (OSPRACT). The aim of OSPRACT is to collect, process and
publish information, studies, analyses, experience and first-hand accounts,
etc. about teleworking.
Early July, Christian Van Asbroeck was invited by IWERF to represent
BTA and become one of OSPRACTs correspondants who help to
feed the information bank which they are setting up. Public information
will be accessible from January 1, 1999 at: http://www.ospract.org
European Telework Week 98 in Belgium: Event Calendar to-date
Wednesday, November 4: BTA Annual Reception
BTAs yearly prestige event (attended by up to 400 in previous
years) will take place as usual in the scope of European Telework Week,
this year at the Crédit Communal-Gemeentekrediet art gallery, with an
evening visit of their current exhibition on the history of telecommunications.
Guest speakers will include Steven VAN ACKERE, Head of the Office of Minister
Chabert (Brussels Region), Paul VAN DER SPIEGEL, Director of TELENET (Flanders),
and François BODART, Director of WIN (Wallonia).
Friday, November 6: 1998 European Telework Award Ceremony,
at the Palace Hotel
Monday, November 9
BTA conference at Teleport Brussels, on the subject of Teleworking and
the virtual corporation. Speakers: Karel UYTTENDAELE and Christian VAN
HUFFEL, from FABRIMETAL.
Throughout the week: the Business High Schools active in the Euro-Télétravail
education programme plan to hold open-door days.
