Leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband warned today that Britain’s digital future risks being undermined unless everyone plays their part in equipping business and young people with the skills they need to succeed in the future.
He also highlighted a dramatic decline in the number of IT and digital apprenticeships being offered.
On a visit to Hackney Community College (HCC) and some of the college’s employer partners in Shoreditch, Mr Miliband found out about its innovative Tech City Apprenticeship scheme which is addressing these issues.
Tech City Apprenticeships have been developed by the college in Falkirk Street and Tech City companies, with the support of the sector skills councils, and can be taken at university level.
Apprentices, who work four days a week and attend college one day, are paid and emerge with a qualification.
The Labour leader spoke to apprentices and their employers from companies including Mother, Poke and UsTwo, along with HCC’s partner school, Hackney University Technical College, which supports students as young as 14 with a firm grounding in the skills needed for a digital career.
He then visited the offices of Poke and Mother where he found out how apprentices develop their skills through real work projects.
HCC Principal Ian Ashman said: “It is very fitting that Ed Miliband chose to make these announcements while visiting Hackney Community College and our Tech City employer partners.
“Through our Tech City Apprenticeships programme we are addressing the exact issues noted by the Labour Leader today, and I encourage more key players in the sector to find out about, and take advantage of our suite of specialist higher level programmes.”
“Together we are supporting young people to make their mark in the sector while helping to solve the growing issue of talent supply in the tech industries.”
For more information see www.techcityapprenticeships.com.
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