Fast Forward for Digital Jobs
techUK's flagship skills report takes insights from Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, BT, Salesforce, Cisco, FDM, and UKFast, and the wider tech industry to see how we can work together to signpost the opportunity of digital jobs to more people and work to ensure that these opportunities are open to people of diverse backgrounds. As the government’s legislative agenda for the next year focuses on equipping people with the skills they need, there has never been a more pressing need to match people’s skills to a fast-changing labour market. techUK sees clear ways to do this.
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🎤 Podcast - The Reskilling Imperative: How to thrive in the digital economy
Nimmi Patel, Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK speaks with Adam Spearing, EMEA Field CTO & SVP Solution Consulting UKI, Salesforce to explore the skills gap, discuss how we can tackle some of the challenges, and help develop a workforce with the specialist skills required to thrive in the digital economy.
Looking at anticipated jobs growth over the next few years, Adam and Nimmi discuss how Salesforce and the tech industry more widely must bring people from diverse backgrounds into the ecosystem. In order to target those who are less motivated to learn digital skills, Adam believes it is important to allow people to give it a try. Adam points to resources such as Salesforce’s Trailhead platform as useful tool which allows people to learn tech and business skills in a fun way.
Finally, the podcast touches on Salesforce’s commitments to industry-wide initiatives such as techUK’s Fast Forward for Digital Jobs taskforce, with Adam pointing out that although tech companies compete against one another, it is essential for industry to come together to tackle the skills gap.
Employers interested in the potential of degree apprenticeships, masters programmes or graduate recruitment to strengthen their workforce can get help from TechSkills, which became part of the techUK family in October 2020.
The Tech Industry Gold community brings together peers across industry and Higher Education to share insights, create industry-accredited programmes, inspire the next generation and provide a collective voice on government skills policy. With degree apprenticeships, employers can get the latest on the levy, access high quality programmes, and influence those in development. For degrees, employers have early access to students who graduate with the business, interpersonal and technical skills to be productive immediately.
Choosing a programme carrying the industry accreditation Tech Industry Gold gives the reassurance it meets industry standards for quality and relevance. There are already 35 Tech Industry Gold degree apprenticeship programmes, including the recently accredited Masters (MScs) at Anglia Ruskin, Henley Business School and City University, and the first Cyber Security BSc at Gloucestershire University.
Get involved
All techUK's work is led by our members - keep in touch or get involved by joining one of the programmes below.
Skills, Talent and Diversity
Making the UK the best place to start and grow a digital business is contingent on our ability to skill, attract and retain the brightest global talent. techUK’s Skills, Talent and Diversity Programme seeks to ensure the UK has a world-leading tech workforce by equipping the pipeline of talent with digital skills to become digital leaders, attracting and retaining a diverse workforce & making sure the UK is an attractive location for talent from across the world.
Policy and Public Affairs
techUK's policy and public affairs function makes the case to government and policymakers across Westminster, Whitehall, Brussels and the devolved nations on the most pressing issues facing businesses and the tech sector.
TechSkills
TechSkills, a techUK company, brings together employers and educators to develop the digital talent industry needs. Our mission is to create and promote industry-valued pathways into digital careers.
Nimmi Patel
Nimmi Patel
Nimmi Patel is the Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK. She works on all things skills, education, and future of work policy, focusing on upskilling and retraining. Nimmi is also an Advisory Board member of Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (digit). The Centre research aims to increase understanding of how digital technologies are changing work and the implications for employers, workers, job seekers and governments.
Prior to joining the techUK team, she worked for the UK Labour Party and New Zealand Labour Party, and holds an MA in Strategic Communications at King’s College London and BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester. She is currently taking part in the 2024-25 University of Bath Institute for Policy Research Policy Fellowship Programme.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 07805744520
- Twitter:
- @nimmiptl
- Website:
- www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nimmi-patel1/
Antony Walker
Antony Walker
Antony Walker is deputy CEO of techUK, which he played a lead role in launching in November 2013.
Antony is a member of the senior leadership team and has overall responsibility for techUK’s policy work. Prior to his appointment in July 2012 Antony was chief executive of the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG), the UK’s independent advisory group on broadband policy. Antony was closely involved in the development of broadband policy development in the UK since the BSG was established in 2001 and authored several major reports to government. He also led the development of the UK’s world leading Open Internet Code of Practice that addresses the issue of net neutrality in the UK. Prior to setting up the BSG, Antony spent six years working in Brussels for the American Chamber of Commerce following and writing about telecoms issues and as a consultant working on EU social affairs and environmental issues. Antony is a graduate of Aberdeen University and KU Leuven and is also a Policy Fellow Alumni of the Centre for Science and Policy at Cambridge University.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 07780603065
- Twitter:
- @techUKdepCEO
- Website:
- www.techuk.org/
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonywalker/
Jake Wall
Jake Wall
Jake has been the Policy Manager for Skills and Future of Work since May 2022, supporting techUK's work to empower the UK to skill, attract and retain the brightest global talent, and prepare for the digital transformations of the future workplace.
Previously, Jake was the Programme Assistant for Policy. He joined techUK in March 2019 and has also worked across the EU Exit, International Trade, and Cloud, Data Analytics and AI programmes.
He also holds an MA in International Relations from the University of Sussex, as well as a BA(Hons) in International Politics from Aberystwyth University. During his time at Aberystwyth University, he won the International Politics Dissertation Prize.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Twitter:
- @jww_tech,@jww_tech
- Website:
- www.techuk.org,https://www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwwuk,https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwwuk
Julian David
Julian David
Julian David is the CEO of techUK, the leading technology trade association that aims to realise the positive outcomes that digital technology can achieve for people, society, the economy and the planet.
Julian led the transformation of techUK from its predecessor Intellect in 2014, putting an increased focus on the growth and jobs the technology industry offers in a global economy. He has since led its impressive expansion driving forward the tech agenda in key areas such as skills, innovation, business success and public sector transformation. He leads techUK’s 90-strong team representing a thousand British based tech companies, comprising global and national champions and 600 SMEs. In 2020, techUK joined forces with TechSkills, the employer-led organisation that aims to improve the flow of talent into the digital workforce and open up access for all to high value tech jobs.
Julian represents techUK on a number of external bodies including the Digital Economy Council, the National Cyber Security Advisory Council and the Department of Business and Trade’s Strategic Trade Advisory Group. He is member of the NTA Advisory Board of DIGITALEUROPE and is a member of the Board of the Health Innovation Network the South London Academic Health Science Network.
Julian has over thirty years of experience in the technology industry. Prior to joining techUK, he had a series of leadership roles at IBM including Vice President for Small and Medium Business and Public Sector. After leaving IBM he worked as a consultant helping tech SMEs establish successful operations in the U.K. His personal interests include Football (West Ham, Balham FC and Real Madrid) and Art.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Twitter:
- @techUKCEO