Skills - ScotlandIS

Our industry has a continual need for highly talented people with a wide range of skills. ScotlandIS has worked tirelessly over a number of years to address the shortages currently being experienced; campaigning for the the development of the ICT & Digital Technologies Skills Investment Plan and actively involved in its implementation. From operating the e-Placement Scotland programme to the development of CodeClan, Scotland’s first code academy, and the Digital Xtra Fund we are working to increase the supply of skilled people from schools to workplace learning.

Skills and Talent

Our digital technologies industry has a highly skilled workforce but with we need many more people to join the growing businesses across the sector. Encouraging an increasing number to pursue careers in technology is essential.

ScotlandIS leads the campaign for skills for our industry, to build the future talent pipeline. Working with partners across industry and the public sector we have helped with the development of the ICT & Digital Technologies Skills Investment Plan, published in 2014.

This provides a long term plan to tackle a number of key issues:

Sector attractiveness – to promote the breadth of interesting highly paid roles to young people, and career changers
Ensuring the education system meets industries needs including :
- Revitalising the teaching of computing and digital technologies at schools, to develop a stronger pipeline of young people choosing digital technologies careers, and courses at apprentice, college and university level.
- Delivering the ePlacement Scotland programme in partnership with our universities to give students valuable real work experience before they qualify
- Ensuring the development of higher level specialist skills through helping to establish eg The Data Lab
- Broadening access routes into the industry through a wider range of apprenticeships, and new initiatives such as the new digital skills academy, CodeClan established by ScotlandIS.
Tackling the gender imbalance<link to gender section>

A multicultural workforce

The digital technologies industry is truly global, serving markets around the world. To design and build products and services for global cistixesn and businesses our industry benefits from a diverse workforce.

We continue to campaign at Scottish and UK Government levels for the reintroduction of post study work visas and have publicy stated the need for non UK citizens to be welcomed into our workforce. We are in regular contact with officials regarding potential changes to visa regulations.

ScotlandIS initiatives and projects

ePlacement Scotland

e-Placement Scotland has created over 1,800 placement opportunities to date. Set up in 2010, the programme matches firms in the technology sector with students, and helps to address the skills shortage in the sector and improve student employability.

Digital Xtra Fund

Digital Xtra Fund is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) that supports the delivery of extra-curricular computing and digital activities to young people, aged 16 and under, across Scotland. It specifically seeks to improve participation of girls and underrepresented groups in digital, dispel negative perceptions about computing science and promote digital as an attractive career path.

CodeClan

CodeClan play a leading role in accelerating Scotland’s progress in building a high-performing digital economy. To do this, they challenge convention in everything they do – from what and how we teach to the way we communicate with our staff, students and employer partners.

CodeClan got the support of The Scottish Government, Scotland’s digital technologies trade body, ScotlandIS, and Skills Development Scotland. And we’re the first UK digital skills academy to be approved by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

Digital Skills Partnership

To meet the increasing demand for people with world class skills in computing and the pace of change within the industry, it is essential that our colleges and universities ensure college leavers and graduates have the right blend of technical and interpersonal skills for the modern workforce.

The Digital Skills Partnership (DSP) was established in August 2017, with the support of the Scottish Funding Council and Skills Development Scotland, to create a new collaborative partnership between colleges, universities and industry, to ensure that the education system is more aligned to changing skills requirements.