MILLIONS OF JOBS WILL REQUIRE DIGITAL SKILLS BY 2025

A new report published by the UK’s technology trade body, techUK, reveals a huge discrepancy between the demand for digitally skilled workers in areas such as coding, and the opportunity to retrain in these fields for the many millions made redundant due to the Covid-19 recession.

It says that immediate action is needed to close the growing digital skills gap with thousands of digital job vacancies remaining unfilled.

And it gets worse: three million new jobs requiring digital skills are predicted to be created in the UK by 2025. Where will we find the people to fill them?

techUK’s task force is calling for the government to work with tech firms to remedy the situation.

Jacqueline de Rojas, President of techUK said: “The Covid-19 crisis has had a dramatic impact on the lives of many people, on their wellbeing and employment prospects. Almost two-thirds of those who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic are under the age of 25.

“As employers in this sector, we know that many good jobs in technology will be created in the years to come – bringing with them the opportunity for people to thrive. We must connect these jobs with those who need them. This will equip far more people with the skills and pathways they need to thrive in a future defined by new technology.” almost as many as picked engineering. Colleges and universities across the region are offering apprenticeships or degree apprenticeships in digital skills. The University of Gloucestershire is offering degree apprenticeships in cyber security, data science and digital technology, among others. WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group), is offering advanced apprenticeships in software development.

If gaming is more your style, Royal Leamington Spa College, which is based in one of the UK’s hotspots for video game development, is offering foundation and bachelor degrees in games art, having been accredited by the industry-led skills body for the screen industries.

There is certainly interest in the sector. Computer Science degree apprenticeships are a popular choice for students heading to university, according to a poll by UCAS of students applying to study in 2022. Of those who expressed an interest in degree apprenticeships, more than 65 per cent picked Computer Science,

In 2019 more than 60 per cent of students on the Games Art degree went straight into employment.

In recent years its students have been employed by companies such as Leamington Spa-based Playground Games and Pixel Toys, Excalibur Games in Banbury and Oxford-based Exient.