Why is there a need for more people to move into the digital/tech sphere?
Whilst many young people assume the tech industry is nothing more than just coding and software engineering, there is a need to highlight the wider variety of roles across the digital and tech sphere such as digital marketing, project management, frontline IT support and web design.
Meanwhile, there is an increasing demand for skilled professionals who can drive digital transformation forward and organisations are starting to rely more heavily on digitised tools including cybersecurity, data analysis and software development. They therefore need a workforce that is technically skilled and adaptable and with this digital skills gap, it can be a struggle to find qualified candidates in a rapidly expanding industry.
What challenges in finding work have Click Start participants been facing before they came on the programme?
Click Start, a programme developed by the Institute of Coding and funded by Nominet offering digital, tech and employability skills support, sees learners often come onto the programme with poor mental health, lacking self-belief from facing multiple job rejections and even educational burnout after leaving college or university without the support for next steps. Additionally, some of our learners are seeking refuge as they have recently moved to the UK and are facing barriers setting up a life here – including financial difficulties and housing constraints.
Yet there remain some fundamental skills barriers to finding work too, including how to write a strong CV, interview confidently and where to start with developing a portfolio of work. Furthermore, when learners first sign up to Click Start, our career coaches often see a significant knowledge gap in how to network with professionals, use platforms such as LinkedIn and know what opportunities are available to them in the southwest.
Whilst all these barriers and challenges lie at the feet of our learners, there also remains a lack of opportunities in the education and labour market. Many roles require work experience and we see that there is a significant gap in hands on work experience opportunities in real-world settings, to develop core skills, such as digital marketing, UX/UI, IT support and web development.
How does Click Start support learners?
Click Start by Bath Spa University helps learners become knowledgeable, skilled and “work ready” digital and tech professionals. Click Start offers the skills for young people to enter a fast-growing sector that offers sustainable career progression, development, and job security, through working on progressive, forward-thinking projects. The 8-week technical course delivered by Bath Spa University comprises of three principal areas:
- Web development covers HTML, CSS and bootstrap.
- UX/UI explores ideation, fundamentals of colour, typography, wire framing and prototyping.
- Digital marketing which looks at SEO and different strands of content and email marketing.
Throughout the course learners have the opportunity to strengthen skills that are highly valued by employers such as problem solving, creativity, adaptability and resilience through taking part in group and individual tasks and working on a final project, along with opportunities to work on live briefs set by local organisations.
The six-month career coaching supports learners to seek opportunities for networking and developing confidence in approaching professionals in the industry. Group employability workshops and one to one coaching builds confidence, resilience and develops strong end to end job application skills, right from technical CV development through to cover letter and portfolio creation.
In addition, volunteering opportunities are sourced via local SMEs, to gain hands on experience to practice skills learnt on the course (often focused around social media assistant roles, UX/UI support and web design roles). This gives learners the chance to get real-world, up to date pieces of work to put into their portfolio. The offer of an additional six months of in work support, where the career coaches help learners to navigate the early phase of a new job, ensures they are prepared and receiving the full support during their induction, alongside guiding them through job promotions, redundancies and completing probation periods.
So far, 313 learners have started the course since May 2023 and over 69% of our learners that have moved into employment, are in a digital career, including roles such as Digital Analyst, DevOps Engineer and Marketing Researcher.
One of our learners, arrived in UK as a refugee seeking asylum, with his wife and newborn baby and saw the opportunity of Click Start as a chance to build a life for his family. They faced significant barriers such as limited financial support and were living in a hotel at the time.
Through Click Start, he worked on developing his CV, received support with completing job applications and interview preparation and did some work around resilience and positive reframing strategies, having faced a lot of rejection from interviews whilst simultaneously undergoing interviews for asylum status. We witnessed a huge growth in his confidence throughout his time on Click Start and he has now been awarded the right to stay in the UK and has secured a tech job with the NHS in Bristol.
He writes:
“The most positive aspect of my experience with Catch22 was with my Career Coach and how she supported me during an incredibly difficult and emotional time. She reached out unexpectedly when I was stressed, and calmed me down, offering guidance. She helped me build the confidence to apply for jobs and attend interviews on my own. Her continuous support has empowered me to handle the process independently.
I truly appreciate all the support you and your team have provided, which has helped me reach this milestone. Thank you again for everything you’ve done to guide me through this journey. I’m incredibly grateful.”
To find out more about our digital programmes, click here.