Today’s graduates are always keen to be at the forefront of the latest developments and innovations. As digital natives – those raised in a technologically advancing world – may have already come up with technological solutions to today’s real world problems.
A report by the Digital Skills Taskforce suggests that the government needs to invest £20m by 2020 in order to offset a potential IT skills shortfall. Taskforce Chair Maggie Philbin suggests that young people should see themselves as playing an integral part in shaping the technological landscape.
She said: “Britain is in the midst of another industrial revolution and only by engendering the spirit that allowed us to thrive so well in the first, will we succeed in the second.
“For this to happen, we need our young people to see technology and related applied sciences, as a future that they can help create. If you have the right skills, if you have the right network, if you have the right attitude, this is a time of opportunity. We have to make sure we equip everyone in the UK for the digital revolution and not just a fortunate few.”
With the Science Council forecasting that the ICT workforce will grow by more than a third (39%) by 2030, suitably skilled STEM (Science, Technological, Engineering and Maths) graduates will have a number of opportunities to break ground in the technology sector.
The demand for technologically skilled graduates is already outstripping supply, and as an evidence of this computing giant Microsoft revealed that it had 100,000 unfilled vacancies in partner companies across the UK last year.
Report makes several key recommendations
In order to address this gulf, the report – which will presented to shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna at a launch event at Telefonica’s Wayra startup academy in London – makes a series of recommendations including those below:
• Computing should become a fourth “core science”. There should be a digital element to education and training opportunities for young people up to the age of 19.
• A new Digital Challenge for schools, modelled on the successful London Challenge initiative, to foster partnerships between schools and businesses and raise standards of teaching, showcase career opportunities and inspire a new generation into technology
Are you a recent STEM graduate? Has news of the IT sector shortfall inspired you to pursue a career in this area?
