Press Releases

Industry body calls for new Government to tackle digital skills gap with increased support for educational programmes

London – To coincide with the 2019 general election, leading IT trade association CompTIA has today released its manifesto, outlining recommendations to all political parties on what can be done to secure the UK’s digital future.

The manifesto offers a three-point plan of action for the next Government to guarantee the UK’s digital economy continues to thrive:

1. Ensure the UK remains competitive in a global jobs market with vendor-neutral certifications at the core of the UK digital skills strategy – The next Government needs to endorse non-traditional routes to career development to ensure the workforce can continue to grow. Providing funds for alternative educational pathways, such as certifications, the next Government can ensure the UK remains a leading tech hub.
2. Preserve and increase the use of industry certifications in apprenticeships to encourage lifelong learning and ensure standards are suitable for all businesses – CompTIA calls for the incoming Government to place greater importance on apprenticeships as a key tactic for improving the digital skills gap. It should also look to benchmark all schemes against industry standards to ensure individuals get the best opportunities to learn.
3. Build on the new Local Digital Skills Partnerships to improve opportunities for people from all communities to enter the tech professions – The new Government needs to address the demand for digital skills at a local level and provide more opportunities for employers, educational institutes and talented individuals to form partnerships that address the skills gap.

Graham Hunter, Vice President of Skills Certifications, EMEA, at CompTIA, said: “CompTIA has released this manifesto, on behalf of the UK technology industry, to help all political parties understand what actions need to be taken to ensure the UK continues to thrive as a digital hub. While the size of the IT workforce in the UK continues to grow year-on-year the skills gap remains a key barrier to further success.

The UK tech workforce is projected to grow 3% for the five year period 2019 - 2024, meaning we expect to see a further 37,700 new jobs.

“In order for the economy to continue to benefit from a growing digital sector, the next Government needs to equip our workforce with the digital skills businesses require to innovate and grow,” Hunter continued. “Whichever party comes to power must look to work with organisations and bodies within the sector to bridge today’s skills gap and secure a prosperous technology industry.”

The full manifesto can be downloaded here.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5.2 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 50 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit www.comptia.org to learn more.

Contact:
Niall Moran
AprilSix Proof on behalf of CompTIA
niall.moran@aprilsixproof.com
0203 141 2989