A consortium of more than 60 universities, national and international corporations, SMEs, industry groups, experts in non-traditional learning and professional bodies have come together to create a £40 million Institute of Coding (IoC) to fill the UK’s digital skills gap.
Announced by Theresa May at the World Economic Forum 2018, the government’s £20 million investment will be matched by a further £20 million from industry, including in-kind contributions such as training and equipment.
What is the Institute of Coding?
Led by the University of Bath, the Institute will help to fill the country’s skills shortage, as well as attracting more people from underrepresented groups into the computer science sector, such as women, people returning to work and people from BME backgrounds.
The Institute of Coding’s vision is to enhance the education and employability of every IoC learner, ensuring that employers and individuals can access the skills they need to compete in the global digital economy.
Dr Rachid Hourizi, Director of the Institute of Coding, said: “The strength of the Institute of Coding lies in the fact that it brings together educators, employers and outreach groups to co-develop digital skills education at undergraduate and masters level for learners in universities, at work and in previously under-supported groups across the country.
“In addition, we’ll work with our partners to target underrepresented talent through outreach activities, tailored and inclusive curricula, flexible delivery and removal of barriers to working in the industry.”
500,000 Computer Science roles available across the UK
Demand for computer science specialists is already strong and set to increase drastically. More than 500,000 people will be needed to fill roles in the three highest skilled groups in the digital arena by 2022. That’s three times the number of UK Computer Sciences graduates in the last 10 years. This is something the Institute of Coding hopes to resolve over the coming years.
Storm helping to build Institute of Coding website
The Storm team have been working with the Institute of Coding to help develop their new website, set to launch in the near future.
Having a close relationship with the University of Bath is something that has always been important to us, having regularly recruited from there, and Dave and Adam even being Bath graduates. The University has also been listed in the Top 5 Leading Computer Science Schools in the UK. Fantastic news for the city of Bath and its growing reputation as a tech hub!
For more information about the Institute of Coding visit https://instituteofcoding.org/
Full press release can be found via the University of Bath Press Section.
