State-of-the-art digital facilities unveiled at Cannock and Tamworth College
Amanda Milling MP and Gavin Williamson MP visited the Cannock and Tamworth campuses on Friday to officially open the college’s brand-new Digital Skills centres. Partially funded by the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP from the government’s Getting Building Fund, both campuses of South Staffordshire College will provide their local communities with access to a range of courses designed to boost digital skills. One in five adults lack essential digital skills to be able to live and work in today’s world safely, e.g. , how to do online banking transactions, maintain a secure computer system using antivirus or back up their phone to the cloud. The Digital Skills Centres will be able to help support local people in and around Cannock and Tamworth to secure these essential digital skills.
According to Labour Market Insights, there are 12 key job roles which have been identified as areas for potential growth within the digital sector in the region. The job roles identified include: Dev Op Engineer, Cyber Security Engineer, Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Data Engineer, Software Engineer, Front End Developer, UX Designer, Systems Architect, Information Security Analyst, Social Media Specialist and SEO specialist. With these specific jobs in mind the Digital Skills Centre will deliver a suite of courses specifically designed to address these digital skills shortages and to support the people of Cannock with securing employment in these specialist digital roles.
Claire Boliver, Chief Executive Principal said “We were delighted to have Amanda Milling MP and Gavin Williamson officially open our Digital Skills Centres. Digital Skills Centre will help to support local LEP priorities, and we look forward to supporting our local communities with gaining essential and higher digital skills”.
The aim of the Digital Skills Centres match the LEP’s vision to promote lifelong learning, increase confidence in the use of digital skills in life and work, and increase the number of people in employment within specialist digital job roles.
Alun Rogers, chair of Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LEP, commented:
“The new Digital Skills Centres will play an important role in ensuring that the local community is well-equipped with the digital skills needed for everyday life and work, and help create an even more talented workforce for businesses in the area.
“Digital skills are no longer a ‘nice to have’; they are essential for almost all jobs across a range of sectors. Part-funded by Midlands Engine and Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LEP through the government’s Getting Building Fund, the project is a great example of how investing in skills has the opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives and jobs across the region – something which is very much at the core of the LEP’s work.”
Read more about the difference the LEP is making through the Getting Building Fund
