A drive to improve the digital skills of thousands of people across the Humber has launched.
Match-funding has been secured from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport following a hugely successful pilot.
It comes as new figures reveal Hull and East Yorkshire’s tech sector is one of the fastest growing in the UK.
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Tech Minister Chris Philp came to Hull to formally launch a new Local Digital Skills Partnership, a campaign aiming to equip people for the region’s digital jobs boom and ensure more residents can benefit from the thriving local tech sector.
New data from smarter job search engine Adzuna and Dealroom reveals the number of employees in Hull and East Yorkshire’s digital sector is expanding at eight per cent per year, making it the fastest growing region in the UK for digital jobs.
It follows a report published by DCMS which showed the region’s digital sector is expected to add an extra £1.6 billion to the economy every year by 2025 creating an additional 42,200 jobs.
The partnership - a coalition of local authorities, businesses and education providers - will make it easier for businesses and residents to identify gaps in their skills and access training on a range of topics from software development and data management to digital marketing.
Digital Minister Chris Philp said: “Yorkshire and the Humber has massive potential to be a leading UK tech destination which will put rocket boosters on the region’s economy and help unlock new innovations that improve people’s lives.
“But we must make sure people have the skills and talents needed for these jobs of the future. Our Local Digital Skills Partnership will give residents and businesses the chance to be part of the digital revolution happening on their doorstep.”
The partnership means local councils can benefit from monthly networking events and sessions with industry, learning from leading skills programmes like Google Digital Garage and the Lloyds Bank Academy .
These initiatives have brought benefits including improved career opportunities for local people - including from groups typically underrepresented in the digital workforce - and a better understanding for businesses of the training provision available up and down the country.
Prof Rebecca Huxley-Binns, chair of the Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership, said:
"We are delighted to welcome the government minister and DCMS colleagues to launch our Local Digital Skills Partnership. We are very proud of the partnership's achievements to date and we thank the DCMS for their support. We look forward to continuing to address the digital skills challenges and opportunities in the Humber, with our stakeholders.”
It comes as the likes of NEC and Saab have invested, while University of Hull and C4DI help SMEs flourish. Full fibre broadband has enabled the region to take a leap, with Hull recognised once again this week as the best connected city, with further networks now being rolled out to supplement KCom's lauded first step by the likes of Connexin and MS3.
Hull City Council leader Daren Hale said: “The Humber region has led the way in boosting digital skills and creating opportunities in the digital sector, so I’m pleased that the government has recognised the success of the Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership pilot. The council has continued to support the LDSP, sitting on its steering group to offer support and expertise to help shape the digital future of the city. The partnership has proven to be very valuable to the council and the local economy.”
James Newman OBE, chair of HEY LEP, added: “HEY LEP welcomes today's announcement and associated funding from DCMS, which will enable us to continue the very important work of the Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership, whose main objective is to increase digital skills capabilities in the region.
“Maximising the Humber’s existing world class digital infrastructure, alongside accelerating our digital skills capabilities, are key pillars of the HEY LEP’s recently launched strategy. “We look forward to continuing to work with our many partners and stakeholders from the business, education and technical sectors to ensure successful delivery of this programme and on our commitment to the region and to government."
The private sector has also welcomed the news.
Neil Cavill, head of business improvement at Arco, the fifth generation safety specialist that proudly occupies a new headquarters at the Fruit Market - a physical icon of digital reinvention and regeneration, said: “We are delighted to be involved in the launch of the Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership.
“The event was a great opportunity to celebrate the amazing work being done across the Humber to promote digital skills and to look ahead to what will be needed in this region to support careers in this area of work in the future.
“At Arco, we are committed to supporting our colleagues to further develop their digital skills and to nurture the next generation of digital talent through our Future Experts programme, which gives apprenticeship opportunities to students from Ron Dearing UTC.”
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