Digital skills training center opens in Manchester

A new digital skills training center has launched in Manchester to train 1,000 people in areas such as web development and graphic design in a bid to boost employability and close the skills gap.

The Fearless Academy, which is due to launch its first boot camp in September, will provide the opportunity for people to train or retrain in a variety of digital skills that are increasingly important to the UK and global economy.

Courses offered at the academy include search engine optimization, graphic design, web development, pay-per-click marketing and other digital business skills.

Fearless Academy’s goal is to train 1,000 people over the next three years. The center said that in addition to providing skills training, it will further support employability with career days, networking events and interview preparation.

“As a business leader, I’ve seen first-hand how taking chances on young talent can transform a business,” said Dominic McGregor, co-founder of Fearless Academy’s parent company Fearless Adventures.

“But now more than ever, finding the right people is becoming one of the biggest problems for businesses. There is a real skills gap for digital marketing experts that is constantly widening. Our mission is to reverse this trend by upskilling the next generation of aspiring talent.”

The rise of digital skills bootcamps

The lack of digital skills has become a priority concern for the UK tech industry. Data released by Tech Nation shows that tech job vacancies are at a 10-year high as companies struggle to find talent with the right skill set.

Digital skills bootcamps are seen as a solution to this problem. Private organizations, often with public support, are stepping in across the country to give people the skills needed in today’s job market.

Last week, another Manchester-based digital skills training facility secured a £1.25m investment. University Academy 92, a venture launched by former Manchester footballers such as Gary Neville, will equip young people in the North West with industry skills and give start-ups and businesses access to local talent.

The government has outlined some measures to tackle the shortage, as seen in the unveiling of the digital skills strategy in June. However, the strategy, unveiled by former technology minister Chris Philp, has drawn some criticism for a lack of clarity and ambition.

In an interview with UKTNCalum Adamson, chief executive of tech freelancer dispatch company Distributed, has criticized the slow pace of the government’s tech visa scheme designed to bring overseas tech talent to the UK.

The head of the Digital Poverty Alliance said the government was ignoring digital poverty and presenting vague solutions to increase STEM education, which was unsatisfactory.