Talking Training: the rise of IT & Digital

In her monthly South Wales Argus column, Acorn's Sarah John refers to the importance of IT Apprenticeships ahead of Digital 2016, Wales' go-to event for digital tech, being held at The Celtic Manor Resort on the 6th and 7th June. 

The tech sector employs more than 1.7 million people and will continue to grow rapidly over the next few years*. To address the issue, it's been estimated that over a million new recruits are actually needed to help bolster the tech specialist workforce by 2023. Apprenticeships, as you'll be aware from my previous columns, are vital in helping to defuse skills gaps and the digital gap is no exception. 

Apprenticeships can really help to deliver major benefits for businesses, driving higher GVA contribution and that's why we'll be hosting the Acorn Apprentice Zone at Digital 2016 to showcase the emerging IT Apprenticeships on offer. From foundation qualifications at level 2 through to higher courses at level 4, we work with a range of employers and learners to put programmes into action for existing and new staff, covering software, helpdesk, security and analytical roles. As part of our Apprenticeship Zone, we'll be bringing a number of leading UK employers along with us to discuss the IT Apprenticeship opportunities they have within their companies. 

Nurturing tech and digital skills is critically important to the UK economy and if applied properly can really help to bring significant contributions to the success of businesses all over the country. Events like Digital 2016 are great to have on our doorstep, so if you're attending on the 6th of 7th of June, be sure to come by to speak to Acorn's specialist IT Recruitment and Training Consultant in the exhibitor hall (stand 3), and come and talk to me in the Acorn Apprenticeship Zone, in the main Plenary Stage on Level 1. 

I hope to see you there!