Brixton-based youth charity Livity is partnering with tech company Nominet to connect tech savvy 18-24 year olds with local enterprises.
The Nominet Digital Neighbourhood scheme offers digital skills training to 175 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as offering paid work experience with local enterprises in need of digital expertise.
The training course will take place from the 16 to 18 October, followed by a work experience placement with a local business from 30 October to 10 November.
Alongside improving job opportunities for the young people taking part, the initiative aims to help fill the digital skills gap – which at present is costing the UK economy around £63 billion a year.
“We want to play our part in helping to fill the UK’s digital skills gap,” says Nominet CEO, Russell Haworth. “By training young local talent and connecting them with real businesses in their area who need support with their online endeavours, both are able to develop and prosper.”
Nominet has invested almost £400,000 in the programme following a pilot scheme carried out last year in London, Birmingham and Cardiff.
Sam Conniff, co-founder of Livity, said:
“Collaborations like this are the future of British industry. Often there is a huge misconception that an exercise like this is only of value to the young person, but nothing could be further from the truth. ”
If you are a young person aged 18-24 or a local SME lacking in digital confidence and are interested in finding out how you can be involved in this programme, please contact digitalneighbourhood@livity.co.uk.
