A CONTRACT worth almost £1 million to provide free study programmes to help local businesses improve their digital skills is to be delivered at the South Central Institute of Technology in Bletchley.
The In Work Skills Pilot from the Department of Education will enable companies to enrol staff to learn about cyber security, data analytics, power platforms and cloud computing among others.
The contract has been won a month after SCIoT also made a successful £3.5 million bid with Milton Keynes College to set up a new skills centre to improve links with business.
“This is a massive vote of confidence from the government in the SCIoT,” said SCIoT principal Alex Warner pictured below. “We are among the first to be given the go ahead to offer these courses which will give local businesses the chance to bring staff up to date in some of the most important digital skills.”
SCIoT will also receive money from the Skills Development Fund to offer digital programmes for people who are out of work and want to retrain to become more employable.
Curriculum director Yaseen Akhtar said: “This is a terrific opportunity for local companies to have their staff learn crucial professional skills which will be of great value to their business. From the individual’s perspective, this is a way to gain industry-recognised qualifications which can only enhance their future career prospects.
“They will not be on their own either. Each learner will benefit from personalised specialist support provided by one of our dedicated digital coaches. There really is no downside to signing up.”
Mr Warner added: “Virtually everyone who is in a job or is looking for one can benefit hugely from the skills training we can now offer them. The benefits to the local economy will be significant, as well as providing a lot of people with the chance to make real steps forward in their working lives.”
