New digital boot camps under way to boost skills of future

The boot camps are a key part of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s plans to implement its Digital Roadmap, which sets out five missions to digitise the region, including becoming the UK’s best digitally-connected region and increasing access to digital opportunities by tackling digital exclusion.

Training has begun for nearly 300 local people in the skills local employers need to fill vacancies now and in the future, with further boot camps due to start between now and June.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: "Retraining and upskilling have such critical roles to play in our region’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, and are a cornerstone of my jobs plan to help 100,000 people into work in the next two years.

"We know that training in the skills of the future that employers want and need is a crucial way to help people bounce back into employment quickly, and technology is an area of huge employment possibilities that we must help people get the right skills in.

Future-proof

"The sector offers new, exciting, and future-proof jobs, and digital boot camps are a great way of helping local people get involved.

"The extra £2 million we secured from the Government has enabled us to fund a new series of these boot camps, which are already up and running.

"I would urge anyone who has fallen out of work or who is worried about their future employment, to see what training options are available through the WMCA."

The WMCA has already funded 21 digital bootcamps for more than 1,200 adults who were unemployed or in low-paid jobs, with an aim of getting 70 per cent of people into jobs upon completion.

To find out about more about starting a new career in digital, or improving your existing skills, visit beta.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/power-up