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Gates takes in vista at Holyrood Gates plugs into training needs
(about 2 hours later)
Microsoft founder Bill Gates is due to join more than 300 business leaders at a conference being held at Holyrood. Billionaire Bill Gates and the Scottish Executive have unveiled a joint training and development plan for unemployed youngsters.
The Government Leaders Forum is considering skills gaps and Scotland's progress on e-democracy. The software magnate outlined proposals to help the growing number of jobless youngsters in Scotland who are not in education or training.
On Monday, Microsoft announced plans to provide computer training for 100,000 Scots over the next three years. The Microsoft chairman is in Edinburgh for the firm's Government Leaders Forum at the Scottish Parliament.
The two-day conference, which comes on the day Microsoft launched its Windows Vista operating system, was opened by the Duke of York. The event coincides with the launch of Microsoft's Vista operating system.
The Green Party said the parliament should not be supporting a huge multinational with monopoly powers. Mr Gates and First Minister Jack McConnell signed a joint statement of intent between the executive and the company.
Mr Gates and Chancellor Gordon Brown will take part in a question and answer session on Wednesday. Microsoft Scotland will create a volunteer corps and encourage its 1,300-strong business partner network to get involved by providing work placements, help for voluntary organisations and mentoring, as part of the agreement.
Politics these days is too important to be left just to the politicians George ReidPresiding officer Our Scottish government and Microsoft share the ambition of helping young people to realise their full potential First Minister Jack McConnell
It is the first time the forum has come to Britain and the event has been billed as the parliament's biggest business conference yet. The company already has one of its senior management team working with the executive on the issue and officials said the statement of intent will build on this.
Leaders taking part include Danuta Hubner, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, and Wim Kok, the former prime minister of the Netherlands. Mr Gates said: "We hope that by working with our business partners in Scotland and the Scottish government, we can help young people gain the skills and experience they need to participate in the knowledge economy and ultimately help the Scottish economy realise its potential."
The forum aims to get government and academic delegates to look at key areas relating to connected government, digital learning, employability skills and the transition to the knowledge economy. The Scottish Executive will tap into the expertise to develop the skills required by Microsoft staff in Scotland, as part of the commitment.
'Only fitting' Mr McConnell said: "This is a ground-breaking venture with a major company that should enable us to help young Scots and to pursue similar agreements with other companies in the future.
The Scottish Executive has arranged for 14 youngsters to speak to Mr Gates, who is the world's richest man, and meet other delegates to discuss the impact of e-democracy. "I am determined to find new ways of tackling this problem. Our Scottish government and Microsoft share the ambition of helping young people to realise their full potential."
Presiding Officer George Reid said: "It seems only fitting that Holyrood hosts the first forum to be held in the live context of a working legislature. Digital learning
"Holyrood was designed as a model of participate governance." Mr McConnell and the Duke of York earlier addressed delegates at the event's opening ceremony.
The Duke of York opened the two-day conference A question and answer session with Chancellor Gordon Brown and Mr Gates will begin on Wednesday.
He said the Festival of Politics, Scotland 's Futures Forum and the petitions system helped to involve people in decision-making." Other leaders taking part include Danuta Hubner, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, and Wim Kok, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
"Politics these days is too important to be left just to the politicians," he said. The forum aims to encourage government and academic delegates to look at issues related to digital learning, employability and the knowledge economy.
Microsoft's announcement of training for 100,000 Scots was a result of the company joining forces with two other multinationals, State Street and Cisco. It is the first time the forum has been held in the UK and follows successful events in Lisbon, Prague and Rome.
The training will be provided for Scots who lack the IT skills to find jobs.
It is part of a Europe-wide project begun by the forum three years ago to help 20 million people to find employment.