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Blueprint for Technology
announced last week offers reassurance to graduates and IT newcomers that developing the sector remains a priority for the Government. Support is promised through technology and innovation centres, a commitment to create digital skills and
IT jobs
, and funding for 75,000 adult apprentices in IT. By Helen Beckett [Published 12/11/2010]
Future growth of the economy will increasingly depend on the technology sector and the skills needed for these businesses to innovate, said the prime minister, David Cameron.
Graduate focus
Business Link, a support agency for businesses, is upbeat about graduates’ prospects in the new digital economy. “Any entrepreneur with an Internet business idea needs to hire skills. Graduates do well in these environments,” says Denis Palmer, adviser with the agency.
The IT professional workforce will need over half a million new entrants over the next five years, estimates research from e-skills UK. “The Blueprint, emphasises the importance of businesses and universities working together to develop degree courses that meet employer needs”, points out Karen Price, CEO of e-skills.
E-skills UK’s Information Technology Management for Business – ITMB - degree has been designed jointly with IT suppliers. Graduates of ITMB have secured jobs and placements with suppliers including with Apple, Accenture, Ernst and Young, IBM, McKinsey, and Microsoft.
More money for apprentices
An extra 75,000 adult apprenticeships with a technology bias will be created by 2015, promises the Blueprint. Employers are increasingly looking to IT apprenticeships as a way of developing their workforce and e-skills’ Higher Apprenticeship is one route into the IT workplace.
“Government’s increased funding for adult apprenticeships will allow more technology employers than ever to offer apprenticeships - an ideal and cost effective way for them to develop the skills and people they need to drive growth in their business,” says Price.
Meet the apprentice
Chris Jones, junior analyst, says an apprenticeship has been an excellent way of getting hands-on experience of the IT business world. “It combines all the best aspects of a qualification, work experience, with the big advantage of ‘earn while you learn’.
“Originally I wanted to get into IT developer jobs, research and development and the like”, says Chris. But since spending time in various positions that he’d previously thought as ‘repetitive work’, he’s changed his mind. “I really enjoy working with virtual environment systems, something I knew little about before the apprenticeship.”
Elite centres on the cards
Over four years, £200 million of government funding will flow into building technology and innovation centres designed to enable industry to exploit new and emerging technologies. Ultimately these will create jobs by providing a capability that bridges research and the commercialisation of technology.
The centres will aim to make new technologies investment-ready and able to attract venture capital or other forms of investment. A strategy and implementation plan for the elite network of centres will be ready by April 2011.
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