A scheme has been launched by Bath Spa University to help tackle the city’s digital skills gap with fully funded courses over the next 18 months.
The university has partnered with the Institute of Coding (IoC) – a national consortium of industry, educators and outreach providers led by the University of Bath - London-based not-for-profit social business Catch22 to deliver the free creative digital programme Bath Spa Click Start.
Over the next 18 months, Click Start aims to upskill 300 people, equipping them with the digital and employability skills needed to start a new career in the tech and creative industries.
The programme is open to anyone aged 18-30 living in the West of England experiencing barriers to employment. The first cohort of the course starts on 25 April.
During the 12-week the course, participants will learn a variety of digital skills, including techniques in digital marketing, UI/UX and web development, to help widen their job prospects.
They will also work on live briefs to strengthen their problem solving, creativity, adaptability and resilience, to develop these valuable skills that research shows employers are looking for.
This course is part of the new nationwide Click Start training programme developed by the IoC and funded by Nominet – the public benefit company that operates and protects UK Internet infrastructure and uses its funds to support projects that promote digital inclusion.
Bath Spa University head of business development Dr Anna Walker said: “Catch22 is a not-for-profit business with a social mission. Its experts will bring to the programme more than 200 combined years of experience in building resilience and aspiration in people and communities. Last year alone, the business supported over 160,000 people across England and Wales.
Catch22 will also provide all Click Start participants with a personal employability coach to support them throughout their journey, as well as six months of mentoring and support after completing the course, to ensure they have the best chance of starting a new career.
Catch22 director of external affairs and partnerships Melissa Milner said: “The Bath-based, level three equivalent short course will feed directly into the wider national Click Start initiative, which has been designed to help to tackle the UK’s digital skills gap, by offering skills and training to more than 26,500 learners across the country, who may not previously have had such opportunities.
Bath Spa University is one of the UK’s leading creative universities, offering a wide range of courses across the arts, sciences, education, social science and business to more than 8,000 students
For more information and to apply, click here
