BBC responds to UK digital skills shortage with a nationwide initiative
The BBC has announced an initiative on the same scale as its Computer Literacy Project from the 1980s, with the aim of helping school kids understand the basics of digital technology and computer coding and prepare them from a career in the industry.
“The BBC has played a hugely important role inspiring a generation of digital and technology leaders in the past, but now it’s time to reignite that creativity,” explained Ralph Rivera, BBC director of future media.
“Digital skills are absolutely fundamental in the modern world, and we’re in a unique position to help people develop them and provide a safe online playground to try them out. We want to transform the nation’s ability and attitude towards coding, and bring together different organisations already working in this area,” he said.
The UK is currently facing a skills shortage in the technology sector as Martha Lane Fox explained in a promotional film for the programme, due to roll out by 2015.
“We are going to need a million more people who can work in the technology sector over the next 10 years. We don't have them,” said Fox. “We've got to help to encourage people to go into that sector."
Through a number of local, national and international partnerships, the BBC is aiming to help audiences embrace technology – be it apps, websites, games, computer code, robotics or digital art – by offering tools and resources to help young people develop the skills needed for careers in the digital industry.
The BBC’s announcement comes on the eve of BIMA’s Digital Day, or D-Day, now in its second year.
On Thursday, experts from the digital industry will go into schools across the country and work with students on different projects – from coding and app building to social media – with the aim of encouraging more young people to consider digital careers.
Adam Graham, CEO of Weapon7 and Chair of BIMA welcomed the BBC’s initiative, recalling the Computer Literacy Project where the corporation sent BBC Micro computers into schools in a bid to educate young people on the new technology.
“I learnt to code on a BBC Micro 30 odd years ago, I’m sure a whole generation of people did, and it affected us positively. So it’s fantastic that the BBC is getting involved and contributing to what is definitely an area that needs more attention. Something needed to be done and incentivising people at the grass roots to get involved and look at more diverse opportunities, rather than some of the purely academic IT qualifications, is definitely the way forward.
“It’s fantastic timing ahead of D-Day. We’ve got over 100 schools partnering with us this year and it’s a great example of BIMA contributing to the grass roots, and all of the agencies getting involved. We all recognise a skills shortage and we’ve got a roll to play in this.”
More information on D-Day can be found on the dedicated website.