Campaign to attract more young talent to burgeoning tech sector

A drive to to attract more young people into Greater Manchester’s burgeoning digital sector has been launched.

It coincides with a new report that reveals the value of the sector to the North West.

The latest statistics from Tech Nation, a national network for ambitious tech entrepreneurs, show that the digital sector is worth a combined £4.98bn turnover to the region, and it employs 88,000 people throughout 13,665 digital tech businesses.

In the report, Naomi Timperley, co-founder of Tech North Advocates, a private-sector led coalition of expert individuals from the tech sector, said: “Manchester has an amazing network of people who are prepared to help and support start-ups.

“We genuinely want our city to be a place where you can start and scale a business – and there really is so much support to back this up. Our universities are innovative and active within the community and our culture of mentoring is growing.”

Andy Kent, chief executive of Liverpool tech firm Angel Solutions, added: “Liverpool is a hive of creativity. It’s full to the brim of passionate people who both love their city and produce amazing work – which naturally transpires to a supportive community with a huge ‘can-do’ attitude.

“You can see that demonstrated in the city’s recent success stories – the Baltic Triangle and Paddington Village to name a few, along with home-grown businesses who are trading internationally.”

It is vital to provide this fast-expanding industry with the right skills to progress, and today (May 15) Manchester Digital, the independent trade association for digital businesses across the North West, is targeting 250 Greater Manchester businesses to help bridge the region’s digital skills gap.

It is estimated that Greater Manchester’s digital and creative sector will require at least 22,000 additional roles by 2035 in order to sustain itself.

Manchester Digital is urging GM businesses to take the talent pipeline into their own hands in its new campaign.

The independent trade association for digital businesses across the North West is asking businesses in the region to help bridge the digital skills gap by signing up as a Digital Futures Ambassador in a programme that aims to encourage more young people across Greater Manchester to pursue a digital career and support educators to deliver relevant curriculum and careers guidance.

This comes following Manchester Digital’s 2019 skills audit which revealed that almost a third of digital businesses in the region had turned work away over the past year as a result of not being able to find the right talent to fulfil it.

Businesses already signed up to support the Digital Futures campaign include AutoTrader, On the Beach, Sainsbury’s, The Co-Op, NHS Salford Royal Hospital and Sigma.

Manchester Digital aims to have a total of 250 Greater Manchester businesses on board by May 2020, through the GMCA-supported campaign.

Businesses can help in a number of ways, including working with local schools to bring the computer science curriculum to life, providing inspiring industry experience days in the workplace, educating teachers and careers advisors on the breadth of roles available in the sector, and knowledge sharing through masterclasses and workshops.

Emma Grant, talent and skills manager at Manchester Digital, said: “Our skills audit is clear, tech employers feel that they can, and should, do more. More to ensure young people are equipped with the knowledge and skills to choose careers in digital and technology; and more to support educators to help young people and their parents to make informed decisions surrounding the amazing opportunities available to them in our sector, right on their doorstep.

“Neither industry nor education can solve the digital skills shortage alone. Importantly, we need help from progressive, forward-thinking local businesses to connect the two worlds to build sustainable, meaningful connections, which we hope will increase retention in the early pipeline of local tech talent.”

She added: “By becoming a Digital Futures Ambassador businesses can help to solve the talent shortage by helping educators to develop and deliver a more engaging curriculum that is also relevant to industry needs, whilst giving young people a first-hand glimpse at the exciting, varied and accessible digital careers on offer in the region.

“So, if you’re a business in Greater Manchester, working in, or with, technology, whether big or small, help us inspire and develop the digital talent of the future by getting involved and supporting the campaign.”