How to Bridge The Digital Skills Gap?3 min read

Bubble Jobs Organizes Training Event for HE Career Advisors

Do graduates have the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly digital workplace? Given the amount of time young people now spend online, it would seem that the answer is an overwhelming ‘yes.’ In reality, however, the digital skills gap is estimated to cost companies over $1 trillion in productivity annually, according to one poll. Also, it is estimated that by next year, 90 percent of all jobs will require Information and Communication Technology skills. In order to address the digital skills shortage among young people, university career advisors in the North West will come together at a digital careers training event this month. 

The Manchester event will be hosted by niche digital job board Bubble Jobs to make career advisors more aware of opportunities within the digital sector.

Bubble Jobs, a job board, which specializes in advertising careers in the digital industry, will run the event on Thursday the 11^th December at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Bubble Jobs MD Adam Butwilowski said: “Through our work with our Digital Career Portal, we talk to university career advisors regularly and it quickly became clear to us that there was a real gap in knowledge and understanding of the digital industry.”

“Working in the sector, we’re obviously clued up on the latest trends and the roles within the industry, so we thought a series of ‘train the trainer’ events was the perfect way to raise the profile of digital careers – and to do our bit to address the current digital skills shortage.”

“It’s our hope that if we can assist university career advisors they can then pass this information on to their students and graduates – who will then have a better understanding of what the digital sector is and the vast opportunities available within it.”

The event will be attended by 20 career advisors from a number of high-profile universities across the region, including the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Liverpool, Lancaster University and Sheffield Hallam University.

Assistant Head of the Careers and Employability Services at Manchester Metropolitan University Janet Moore said:

“The world of work is changing rapidly for graduates. In the past decade, the biggest driver without a doubt is digital technology and, with it, we have seen the creation of many new companies and job roles.”

“As a result, it is essential that advisers collaborate with the industry to keep up to date with these changes and get an accurate insight into the skill sets required and learn more about the companies that are seeking to recruit. “

“This event presents a wonderful opportunity for this to happen.”

Former EU Digital Commissioner Neelie Kroes, who originally launched the Grand Coalition, said:

“As I always say, there is no ‘digital economy’; the economy of 2014 is digital, and we all need to get a better understanding of how our businesses and careers are changing because of this.”

“I am so pleased that initiatives like this one are taking place – we need more of them across Europe. Giving teachers, trainers and job centres more support is absolutely fundamental if we are to fully embrace digital.”

Following the event, Bubble Jobs will hold a similar event in London in March 2015 with higher education career advisors from the capital.

Author: Kelly Desormes