Tackling Digital Exclusion: Manchester Tech Festival 2023

Last week, our team had the pleasure of attending, exhibiting and speaking at Manchester Tech Festival.

The festival was started in 2022 by Amy Newton and was designed to highlight Manchester’s broad spectrum of diverse talent, showcase innovative tech businesses and bring together a vibrant community around all things tech.

Our delivery partners, Just IT, were also proud to be headline sponsors this year and support the thriving tech evolution that’s happening across Greater Manchester.

Digital Exclusion In Greater Manchester

While the festival provided opportunities for local people to hear about some of the great options available for entering the growing tech industry in Manchester, the issue around digital exclusion was also a hot topic of discussion across the week.

At the B2W Group, we’re passionate about providing opportunities for those who may struggle to access digital devices or the internet to pursue a career in IT. Digital exclusion is a problem in many areas across the UK, with Greater Manchester no exception, and we believe in providing those residents with the relevant skills and training required so that they too can forge a career in this area.

Digital Skills Crisis

On Monday, at the “Pathways Into Tech” event held at Symphony Park, our Business Development Director, Andrew Morris gave a talk around the current digital skills crisis in Greater Manchester.

He revealed some statistics from GMCA’s report on the Cost of Living and Economic Resilience in Greater Manchester Report (2022), which highlighted that:

87% of jobs require candidates to have basic digital skills
1.2m residents could be excluded in some way to the benefits that digital brings
700,000 people in Greater Manchester are using the internet in a narrow or limited way
60% of social housing residents face levels of digital expulsion

Tech Opportunities For All

Festival Director, Amy Newton, also gave an impassioned speech about the lack of tech opportunities for all across Greater Manchester and pointed to the work that the festival does to help donate essentials such as nappies, food and other goods to those households that struggle to access digital devices and the internet.

“As someone who grew up on a local council estate, I insisted that we give back to the community as part of Manchester Tech Festival. 1 in 5 children across the region aren’t able to access the devices needed in order to do their homework, which doesn’t sit right with me and I hope that the festival also helps to highlight issues like this so we can close that gap between the have’s and the have not’s.”

Kickstarting Digital, IT & Tech Careers

Matt Elson from Just IT was keen to raise awareness of the opportunities we have available for local residents across Greater Manchester to access fully funded routes into digital and tech industries, from short digital skills courses, to apprenticeships and skills bootcamps.

“We were really proud to support Manchester Tech Festival this year as headline sponsors and shine a light on the different pathways that are available to a career in tech. We spoke to so many people throughout the festival who were interested in pursuing a career in this area but either didn’t have the qualifications needed or have access to technology at home.”

Our Digital Pathway

Combined with our partners at Just IT, we provide a fully funded pathway to a digital and IT career through a series of short online courses and skills bootcamps, leading to apprenticeship opportunities and full-time employment. From our Essential Digital Skills (EDSQ) qualification, all the way through to Higher Level Skills (Level 3) and beyond.

If you’re interested in pursuing a fully funded route to a career in digital, IT and tech, please contact us for more information.

We’ll also be publishing our latest insight paper, focusing on the issue of Digital Exclusion in Greater Manchester in more detail in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled!

Manchester Tech Festival Highlights

The B2W Group has a fresh approach to transforming businesses by up-skilling their current staff or bringing an apprentice into the business to add a dynamic and dedicated individual to the team. All of our courses are available through various streams of government funding so are a cost-effective way to provide high-quality training within the workplace.

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0161 474 7603
info@b2wgroup.com

Floor 4,Building 4,
Universal Square,
Devonshire Street,
Manchester,
M12 6JH