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  • Tech organisations team up on new platform to help diverse new talent enter the industry and tackle the digital skills gap

Tech organisations team up on new platform to help diverse new talent enter the industry and tackle the digital skills gap

18 Septmeber 2024

The Institute of Coding, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, and TheTalentPeople have created the GetMyFirstDigitalJob platform, an innovative candidate marketplace that will help participants enter careers in technology.

  • The new partnership will support learners on the Institute of Coding’s Click Start programmes to find employment
  • Learners to get one-on-one support when applying for jobs, and access to an extensive network of employers
  • Currently, the digital skills gap is estimated to cost the government £63 billion per year, indicating the need for easily accessible courses to upskill young people

The platform uses innovative technology, coupled with expert human advice, to drive powerful insights that partner employers with prospective employees.

The launch comes as recent polling from the Institute of Coding indicates only half of the population has confidence in their digital skills and more than a quarter believe they need a university degree to embark on a digital-led career[1].

Research has also found that almost 60 percent of the UK’s workforce doesn’t possess the required skills needed for the modern-day workplace[2] whilst the digital skills gap is estimated to cost the government £63 billion per year[3], indicating the urgent need for education and strong links between employers and candidates.

The new platform will be available for Click Start learners, a programme developed by the Institute of Coding and funded by Nominet.

Click Start, a learning programme developed by the Institute of Coding and funded by Nominet engages thousands of learners from diverse backgrounds and 94 percent have reported leaving the programme feeling prepared for a career in digital skills.

Learners will receive one-on-one support when applying for jobs, with the partnership giving access to an extensive network of employers, and an innovative candidate marketplace which will help participants enter sustainable careers in technology and contribute to the hiring of a more diverse workforce into entry-level roles.

This broad network of BCS, the professional body for information technology, coupled with the deep relationships of recruitment specialists, The Talent People, will help close the digital skills gap by ensuring that hundreds of learners reaching the end of their Click Start programmes can start a new digital career.

Rachid Hourizi, Director of the Institute of Coding, said: “We’re delighted to welcome BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT and TheTalentPeople on board to pool together their extensive connections, to bring this GetMyFirstDigitalJob collaboration to learners.

“The Institute of Coding is committed to ensuring that as many people as possible have the skills needed to thrive in their career. Our work helps industry to plug the ongoing digital skills gap, by easing the process of recruitment for employers and candidates and through this collaboration our learners will have access to some of the biggest employers in the country.”

Julia Adamson MBE, Managing Director, Education & Public Benefit at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT and IoC Board Member added: “At BCS we want to make IT good for society, and build a profession that’s competent, ethical, accountable, and inclusive.

“Through reaching a range of learners through the Institute of Coding’s Click Start programmes, we will be able to give employers a diverse range of talent and ensure learners can gain employment in jobs where they’ll be able to kick start a new career.”

David Allison, CEO of TheTalentPeople also said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to unite with the Institute of Coding and BCS to achieve our shared mission that people from every background can engage with employers that are right for them.

“There is a strong demand for digital skills from the UK economy, but there are many barriers to people getting into the tech sector. This is an exciting project that will unite learners and employers to combat both the digital skills shortage among the population and help businesses ensure they have the skilled employees needed to thrive.”

For more information visit: https://www.getmyfirstdigitaljob.co.uk

[1] Institute of Coding (2024) Polling of 2070 UK adults was undertaken by Yonder from 17th to 18th January 2024.

[2] FutureDotNow (2023) The UK workforce digital skills gap

[3] Tech Nation (2022) People and Skills Report 2022