Leeds City College

Continuing with our focus on digital skills, Printworks campus recently hosted an event which invited educators from schools, colleges and universities across the region to connect with employers on the topic of digital employment.

As part of the Leeds Digital Festival, the ‘Inspiring Future Talent in Digital’ event gave our educators the opportunity to hear from a panel of industry experts about what skills they are looking for in digital careers and emerging technologies.

This event was one of a number being held as part of Leeds’ Future Talent Plan, to invest in sectors and skills that make up emerging and vital areas of Leeds’ economy.

In the past year, Leeds has seen a 64% increase* in the number of digital roles available, with as many as 9/10 businesses requiring their staff to have basic digital skills*.

As a further education provider, Leeds City College has committed to working with regional industries to identify what needs to be done to reduce the current skills shortage.

The event also featured a workshop session, where attendees were encouraged to generate ideas around how we can increase diversity in digital careers, and how to encourage younger people from underrepresented groups to start a career in digital.

Eve Roodhouse, Chief Officer for Culture and Economy at Leeds City Council, said: “Our vision is for Leeds to become a globally competitive city where we work together to enable the right opportunities for people and businesses to thrive in a rapidly changing labour market, and ensure that nobody is left behind.

“The Future Talent Plan has been created to ensure businesses, education providers and local authorities have a shared focus in providing young people with the opportunity to pursue the career they want.”

One of the main challenges facing educators is equipping young people with the skills they need to work with emerging technologies.

Bill Jones, Executive Principal of Leeds City College, said: “I think that it’s important that we embed digital skills into every course we offer as a further education provider.

“By allowing all our learners to develop their self-starting skills and digital literacy, we aim to ensure that they can prepare themselves for the jobs of tomorrow.

“The link between industry and education is hugely important in ensuring that our technical-based qualifications are kept up-to-date with current demands.”