Stephen Carter'sDigital Britainreport was a "brilliant idea" but
needs more than ambitious words if it is to succeed.
Technology employers, teachers, campaigners and students heard
yesterday that the government needs to act urgently to address IT
skills shortages in the wake of Digital Britain.
The Big Ambition event, organised by the IT sector's skills
council,
E-Skills UK, aimed to find ways to inspire young people in
technology.
While reaction to the Digital Britain report was generally
positive, Logica CEO Andy Green says there is not enough action
backing up the ambitious words.
"The UK has been dependent on the financial services industry
for growth for years. There is now a real crisis about where wealth
creation is going to come from in the UK over the next 10 to 20
years. The future of the UK's growth will be dependent on
technology skills, but there is no urgency from the Conservative or
Labour parties," he says.
"The government is listening, but they are going to start with
initiatives targeting primary school kids. We will be dead before
we get to the stage we need to be at."
Catherine Doran, director of corporate development at Network
Rail, says teenagers don't make the connection between the
technology they use every day - such as Facebook, iPhones and
innovative websites - and having an interesting career in
technology.
"The Digital Britain report is a starter, but it is only
worthwhile if it is followed by hard plans - like looking at the
GCSE curriculum, which currently teaches kids things they already
know," she says.
It isn't just professionals who have plenty to say on the state
of UK technology skills; Kerry Benford, a student on the IT and
business management degree at University College London, says, "The
Carter report has some brilliant ideas but I think it falls on some
deaf ears in government. It needs to be urgent - we need to push it
because otherwise we are going to fall behind. IT is at the centre
of every business."
Other employers at the Big Ambition event included the BBC,
Carphone Warehouse, IBM, Tata Consultancy and British Airways, with
all of them keen to talk about how much they need young, bright
enthusiastic people.
"We want people who can look at the next generation of
technology and see how our processes need to change as a result,"
says Keith Little, CIO at the BBC.
Carphone Warehouse CTO Simon Post emphasised how important
technology is to the business, saying, "Nothing goes on in Carphone
Warehouse that me and my team are not involved in."
Karen Price, CEO at E-Skills UK, says changing the IT curriculum
in schools is the "most important reform that needs to be made to
education".
"We must make sure teachers are supported to deliver the
curriculum in an inspiring way. The strategic importance of
technology is not just relevant to the IT industry. It will
underpin the creative economy, manufacturing, the low-carbon agenda
and everything else," she says.
"Stephen Carter's report has set out a journey for us to embark
on. To realise his vision we need IT professionals in the future
who are going to design, create and exploit the technology."
E-Skills UK is campaigning to get more young people inspired by
technology via its Big
Ambition website.