ECDL Foundation, the certifying authority for the world’s leading international computer skills certification programme, ECDL / ICDL, established the Best Practice Awards to acknowledge and credit initiatives and projects that are considered as exceptional examples of the implementation of ECDL Foundation programmes that help to raise levels of digital literacy, and promote ECDL / ICDL in local markets.

European Commission (EC) Vice-President and Commissioner for the Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE) addressed delegates at the ECDL Foundation Forum on the key role that digital skills have to play in driving economic growth, and in reducing the risk of digital exclusion that faces those without the skills to access technology.

Octane Racing from Dundalk Grammar School, have been declared the overall winners of the 2011 F1 in Schools Technology Challenge, powered in Ireland by the Irish Computer Society at the National Finals held in Griffith College Dublin today.

Team members Niall Donnolly, (Project Manager/Sponsorship and Marketing), Adam Matthews (Design Engineer), Kevin O’Malley (Manufacturing Engineer), Daniel Finnamore (Co-Design Engineer and Communications Manager), Daniel McCarthy-Edwards (Resource Manager) and Rollo Konig-Brock (Graphic and Web Designer) were coordinated by teacher Scott Nowell. The team fought off fierce competition from 23 other finalist teams from all over Ireland to claim the National Title and trophy as well as the opportunity to represent Ireland in the 2011 World Championships in Malaysia in September. The overall winners receive €2,000 in prize money.

President of Ireland Mary McAleese joined 300 delegates including IT training professionals, teachers and training consultants on last Friday as they converged on the Convention Centre Dublin for the 14th National IT Training Conference, hosted by the ICS Skills. The Conference also marked the milestone of 500,000 European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) graduates in Ireland.

“This year is an extra special year for us, as we celebrate 500,000 ECDL students in Ireland and we were delighted to welcome President of Ireland Mary McAleese to The Convention Centre to join us in celebrating this momentous occasion” said ICS Skills CEO Jim Friars.