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IT should be made a strategically important subject by giving financial support to graduates who are taking computing and IT courses, according to the British Computer Society (BCS).

The BCS says that this is the way the government can help the skills shortage in the sector, which is predicted to reach 210,000 across Europe by 2010.

Mike Rodd, BCS head of learned society and external relations, said: "It is absolutely crucial that the supply of IT practitioners continues to try to meet demand as best it can in the current challenging market place. The UK, and Europe as a whole, already has to compete with economies such as China and India and any lessening of incentives to pursue IT as a career, or to update or move focus can only have a detrimental impact on Western economies."

He added that the IT industry is economically important as well as being "vital to the delivery of public services".

A recent report by the Council of European Professional Informatics Societies (CEPIS) shows that there will be 70,000 IT positions that are unfilled every year in Europe.

In order to avoid shortages CEPIS has said that universities and the industry should be collaborating more.

CEPIS is a professional body that promotes and develops IT skills across Europe.

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