A Greater Manchester trade body for the digital and creative sectors has stressed businesses must help close the digital skills gap to 'future-proof' the sector.
Manchester Digital made the call to action as it has claimed the region’s digital and creative sectors will require at least 22,000 additional roles by 2035 in order to sustain itself.
Emma Grant, talent and skills manager at Manchester Digital, said it needs help from “progressive, forward-thinking local businesses” to help build “lasting, meaningful relationships between industry and education”.
She said: “We are seeing a growing number of innovative start-ups as well as seasoned tech players taking advantage of the lower operating costs and available space in Greater Manchester’s many boroughs, and it’s crucial we continue to build on and foster this growth if the region is to compete in the global technology space.”
“Of course, talent is central to making this possible.”
Manchester Digital has urged businesses to participate in its ‘digital future ambassadors’ programme, aimed to inspire young people across the region to pursue a digital career and support educators to help bridge the digital skills gap.
Despite the campaign’s early success, supporters are mostly from city centre-based businesses, which means young talent from local authority areas are at risk of “slipping through the net’’, the trade body said.
PwC, Moneysupermarket.com, On the Beach and Manchester City Football Club are among the more than 100 firms that have pledged their support for the campaign.
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Ms Grant said: “Employers in our sector have the ability to help change a young person’s life through unlocking their digital potential.
“By working as a community, through Digital Futures, we can have a greater impact and reach more schools to ensure educators can help young people and their parents make informed decisions about the digital education and career pathways available to them right on their doorstep.”
She added: “If you’re a business in Greater Manchester, big or small, working in or with technology in any way, help us create and enable digital futures for young people by getting involved and supporting the work we’re doing.”