Tech business to help bridge the digital skills gap

A tech business is helping to bridge the digital skills gap by taking part in Tech Week, a national programme created by The Tech Partnership.

The Emerald Group, which is based in Warwickshire, will be joining a number of businesses to provide opportunities for young people to gain first-hand work experience.

Skills

The Emerald Group has called for businesses to take more responsibility by encouraging and developing technical skills to attract talented young people.

The company’s advice comes after research from YouGov showed that while young people in the UK are becoming more digitally savvy, nearly 50% of senior decision makers say that they believe school leavers do not know how to translate digital skills for use in the workplace.

The British Chamber of Commerce has also reported that just over half of businesses are providing work experience opportunities for young people, despite three-quarters of businesses believing that hands-on experience is becoming more important for tackling a skills shortage.

Opportunities

Commenting on Emerald Group’s involvement in Tech Week, CEO Sarah Windrum said that the company is “excited” to be taking an active role in the initiative.

She stated that the most effective way to nurture talent and provide young people with the skills that employers are looking for is by “providing the opportunities for hands on experience, and an understanding of how digital skills can be translated into a work setting.”