IT education and training

Top 10 IT careers and skills stories of 2018

As we leave 2018, Computer Weekly takes a glance at how the technology careers and skills sector has developed over the past 12 months Continue Reading

Government announces new plans to develop cyber talent

The government has announced plans for a Cyber Security Council to form a strategy for developing future cyber talent Continue Reading

Less than a quarter of AI professionals are women

A report from the World Economic Forum has found there is a significant gender gap in artificial intelligence, and global gender parity will take 108 years to achieve Continue Reading

Government whitepaper outlines new rules for skilled working visas

Government plans to go forward with a recommendation that the cap for tier 2 skilled working visas be removed Continue Reading

Cancer Research works to improve users’ digital experience

UK charity has been working with Optimizely to develop a better user experience through its website, as well as improve the way the organisation works Continue Reading

Tech sector vacancies increase by almost a quarter in 2018

Industry concerned over growing skills shortage as Brexit looms Continue Reading

Chief technology officers in high demand in finance sector

Financial services firms need to hire experienced chief technology officers as the sector is transformed through fintech Continue Reading

Government urged to create one million high tech jobs by 2030

The Trade Union Congress has called on the government to create a million new high tech and manufacturing jobs over the next 12 years Continue Reading

Why learning Stem skills from a young age is so important

In this contributed post, MJ Chun, director of product, Anki, explains why children need to be exposed to science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) from a young age. Coding was added to the ... Continue Reading

Large disparity in NHS cyber skills and training spend

Despite government pledges to up cyber security spending across the NHS, there are still huge disparities in cyber security skills and spending on cyber security training, FoI requests reveal Continue Reading

UK can do more to explore potential of quantum tech

The government has been urged to address use cases, security and skills, and proposed a series of new innovation centres, to enable the UK to fully capture the opportunity presented by quantum technology Continue Reading

OpsRamp skills research highlights cloud hiring challenges of IT managers and CIOs

Research from IT operations platform provider OpsRamp shines a light on the difficulties IT managers face when trying to find staff to help make their digital transformation ambitions a reality Continue Reading

UK government commits to opening up data in bid to push adoption of AI

Opening up data is vital to government plans to push adoption of artificial intelligence across all sectors of the UK economy Continue Reading

120,000 police officers to receive cyber security training

Cisco is partnering with UK police forces to offer cyber security training through the Cisco Networking Academy Continue Reading

Health and care must prepare for a digital world, says Scotland’s digital director

Challenges include dealing with ethical questions, data and collaboration needs in a digital environment, says Scottish government’s Colin Cook Continue Reading

Inspiring Fifty announces its 2018 list of UK women in tech role models

Non-profit diversity initiative Inspiring Fifty releases its first annual UK list of female role models in the technology industry Continue Reading

Facebook helps pupils understand more about tech roles

The social media company has launched a mentoring programme that allows students to ask Facebook engineers questions about their role and career path Continue Reading

York teen crowned 2018 UK cyber security champion

Teenager beat off competition from 41 other cyber security enthusiasts from across the UK, and six from Singapore, in the UK Cyber Security Challenge final Continue Reading

TLA calls on tech industry to hire one million tech workers by 2023

Tech industry network TLA has announced a campaign to encourage one million people into tech sector roles over the next five years Continue Reading

Singapore government to boost cloud capabilities of SME tech suppliers

Smaller tech firms in the city state can look forward to a new capability development programme to help them build cloud-native applications Continue Reading

WISE emphasises importance of role models at 2018 awards

Gender balance campaign WISE used its 2018 awards ceremony to highlight the importance of female role models, and called on men to lead the charge for equality Continue Reading

UN extreme poverty monitor is critical of Universal Credit ‘digital by default’ service

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights raises significant concerns with Universal Credit, including poor digital literacy among claimants, automation errors and lack of transparency Continue Reading

Oracle searches for AI and data experts

Technology firm Oracle plans to expand its development hub in the UK, as well as hire data scientists and data analysts from the local area Continue Reading

TeenTech partners with DCMS to reach young people in new areas

After 10 years in operation, social enterprise links up with government department and Local Digital Skills Partnership to reach teens in new cities Continue Reading

Government considering dedicated internet regulator, says digital minister

An upcoming white paper is likely to set out proposals for an internet regulator, a House of Lords committee has been told Continue Reading

Government announces funds to help teachers prepare for T-levels

The government will provide £8m to help train teachers for the introduction of new technical T-level qualifications Continue Reading

Stem firms to run UK National Centre for Computing Education

A number of British firms well-versed in science, technology, engineering and maths will act as a consortium to deliver a National Centre for Computing Education Continue Reading

Creativity will ensure humans won’t be left behind by tech, says Fujitsu president

Fujitsu’s president has claimed humans don’t need to be worried about automation because people and creativity will always be needed for innovation Continue Reading

More than 80% of women in tech would recommend tech career to young women

Booking.com has found that a majority of women in the technology industry would recommend a career in the sector to young women in schools, as well as to female undergrads Continue Reading

Automation and CSR are driving reskilling process for UK plc, says Cisco

UK business leaders are planning to make dramatic changes to their organisations between now and 2020, according to a new report from Cisco Continue Reading

Ofqual launches consultation on delivery of basic digital skills

Basic Digital Skills Qualifications aimed at helping people “fully participate in society” as well as giving them the skills needed for the modern workplace or for further education Continue Reading

Soft skills present largest tech industry skills gap, says panel

A panel of experts speaking at Microsoft’s Future Decoded event in London said one of the biggest skills gap in the technology industry surrounds soft skills Continue Reading

Government to award £300,000 to select startups as part of Open Data competition

The Department for Education will be awarding two businesses a share of £300,000 in funding to further develop prototypes submitted as part of the Higher Education Open Data competition Continue Reading

Percentage of women appointed to tech boards stays stagnant for 20 years

The percentage of women on the boards of technology firms has not changed for the last 20 years, with the gap between men and women on boards growing Continue Reading

IoT R&D projects missed out on £10m of government funding

A series of delays and disruption caused chiefly by changes in project ownership meant the government’s IoT UK Research and Innovation Programme failed to use a quarter of its allocated budget between 2015 and 2018 Continue Reading

Only 10% of firms have started upskilling employees as automation comes in

As automation begins to change the way people work, only a small percentage of firms have begun full-scale projects to give their existing staff new skills Continue Reading

How Avanade keeps pace with Microsoft and the market

Systems integrator Avanade has had to adapt to Microsoft’s evolution into an “ecosystem platform” that includes open-source software Continue Reading

Chancellor Philip Hammond’s 2018 Budget dishes out £1.6bn for ‘advanced’ tech and innovation

The 2018 Budget promises £1.6bn to fund “advanced technologies” such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, £200m for rural broadband and £150m for tech fellowships, along with plans to impose a digital services tax for web giants Continue Reading

Police tech is ‘a complete and utter mess’, says Home Affairs Committee

Committee has “serious concerns” about police forces’ digital capabilities, interoperability and tech adoption, and urges ministers to take responsibility Continue Reading

PwC partners with UKBlackTech to increase tech sector diversity

Professional services network PwC has partnered with social initiative UKBlackTech to encourage more young people from different backgrounds into the technology industry Continue Reading

Philips looks to artificial intelligence to train its workforce

Healthcare company is looking to AI, chatbots and learning playlists to help staff learn new skills more quickly as it adapts changing business priorities Continue Reading

Belgian startup makes a game of creating secure software code

A global tech startup has placed its research and development centre in Belgium, taking advantage of regional financial support as well as cooperations with local educational organisations Continue Reading

Industry and government must collaborate to drive the digital economy, says techUK CEO

Industry and government must work together to grow use of technology across the UK economy, according to techUK CEO Julian David Continue Reading

Microsoft signs pledge to assist people with dyslexia

Tech giant Microsoft has signed the Made by Diversity pledge to help more people with dyslexia use technology as part of their education Continue Reading

Monster partners with Stemettes to encourage girls into Stem

Recruitment firm links up with social enterprise to give young people experience in applying and interviewing for technology roles Continue Reading

More than half of women think their gender helps them pursue tech careers

A majority of women think being female helps them enter the tech sector, but career progression can be a different story, study shows Continue Reading

Moonpig to open technology hub and create 50 new roles

Greeting card company chooses Manchester for its first tech hub because of the city’s thriving tech scene and “exceptional” pool of talent Continue Reading

FS-ISAC awards cyber security scholarships in Europe

Five women have been awarded cyber security scholarships at FS-ISAC’s 2018 EMEA Summit Continue Reading

Google-supported programme in Netherlands helps primary schools with computational thinking

A programme to help primary school teachers in the Netherlands understand IT is gaining momentum Continue Reading

Bug bounties not a silver bullet, Katie Moussouris warns

Targeted bug bounties have a role to play in cyber security, but they are not a "silver bullet", and run the risk of wiping out talent pipelines if poorly implemented, warns bug bounty pioneer Continue Reading

Huawei Connect 2018: Huawei tackles barriers to effective AI

At its annual customer and technology event, Huawei chairman Eric Xu set out 10 key challenges facing AI, and revealed how the networking supplier’s strategy will help to address these Continue Reading

University vs Apprenticeship: The education debate

Traditionally, a degree is the preferred route into the technology industry, but many now believe an apprenticeship may be a more valuable path into the sector Continue Reading

Huawei Connect 2018: China on the hunt for AI talent

At Huawei Connect 2018 in Shanghai, Huawei shared insights into how the developing artificial intelligence industry is changing the face of IT talent development in Asia-Pacific Continue Reading

Telenor retrains 20,000 staff as it prepares for impact of digital tech

Norway-based mobile phone company Telenor, which provides phone services in Scandinavia and Asia, is challenging its workforce to spend 40 hours a year learning digital skills as it prepares for the impact of digital technology Continue Reading

Education doesn’t encourage creative thinking, says Apple co-founder

Speaking at Splunk.conf 2018, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak shared his belief that the education system dampens creativity Continue Reading

Tech should intentionally seek out black talent, says Splunk rep

Speaking at Splunk.conf 2018, a representative of the data firm explained how the technology industry can engage with young people from the BAME community Continue Reading

UK will unilaterally tax web giants, says Hammond

Chancellor threatens to go it alone on tax reform for digital services businesses if an international agreement cannot be reached Continue Reading

Amali de Alwis, most influential woman in UK IT 2018 - winner’s speech

Amali de Alwis received the accolade of Most Influential Woman in UK Technology 2018, due to her work as CEO of not-for-profit Code First: Girls Continue Reading

Role models pictured - Most Influential Women in UK technology 2018

Each year Computer Weekly showcases 50 of the most influential women in UK technology to make industry role models more visible and more accessible. Here is 2018's top 10 most influential women in UK technology, including this year's winner Amali de Alwis, CEO of Code First: Girls. Continue Reading

Creativity and tech ‘two sides of same coin’, says 2018 Most Influential Woman in IT, Amali de Alwis

The winner of Computer Weekly’s 2018 Most Influential Woman in UK IT award, Amali de Alwis, says creativity and technology go hand in hand in the modern world Continue Reading

Most Influential Women in UK IT 2018: Rising Stars

Computer Weekly reveals the judges’ choices for this year’s female Rising Stars of the UK tech sector Continue Reading

Computer Weekly announces the Most Influential Women in UK IT 2018

Computer Weekly has announced the list of the 50 Most Influential Women in UK IT 2018, including this year’s winner Amali de Alwis Continue Reading

At the new Cisco, culture is as important as innovation

Cisco’s newly appointed SVP of Emear, Wendy Mars, shares her thoughts on the state of network innovation within the industry, and explains why cultural change is just as important an element of a digital strategy Continue Reading

Fujitsu teams up with UTCs on cyber security training

Fujitsu, University Technical Colleges across England and other private sector partners have joined forces to help address the cyber security skills gap Continue Reading

InfoWatch opens training centre to help address Middle East skills shortage

Security supplier offers Middle East customers cyber security and digital training facility as organisations in the region struggle to equip staff with latest skills Continue Reading

Government launches £7.5m digital innovation fund for local councils

Councils with digital innovation ideas can apply for grants up to £100,000 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Continue Reading

Gig for victory: Addressing the stigma of the gig economy

As companies continue apace with digital transformation, the need for ad hoc tech workers is growing. But traditional contracting is giving way to the looser idea of ‘gigging’ – and not just for low-level roles Continue Reading

Scottish government pumps £13.5m into The Data Lab

Funding will help data innovation centre to explore data opportunities for Scotland’s economy Continue Reading

Almost 40% of IT professionals say firms aren’t addressing diversity

A large number of people working in IT are not aware of any diversity topics currently being addressed in their organisations Continue Reading

More than half of global workforce will need new skills by 2022

Machines will be performing more than half of work tasks by 2025, says World Economic Forum Continue Reading

Migration Advisory Committee recommends lifting the Tier 2 visa cap

A government committee has advised migration reforms to abolish the cap on the UK’s Tier 2 skilled worker visa Continue Reading

CW Europe: Costs stack up for Dutch government IT projects

In this issue of CW Europe, we look at analysis by a Dutch newspaper which discovered that government-controlled IT projects in the Netherlands go over budget by 40%, on average. We also find out how Berlin’s Digital Career Institute is building web skills among refugees and the unemployed across Germany. Download the issue now. Continue Reading

Singapore workers worst hit by impact of AI in ASEAN

About a fifth of Singapore’s workforce will be displaced by technology adoption by 2028, the worst hit among workers in Southeast Asia Continue Reading

UK tech industry warns government over post-Brexit immigration

Government needs to have an open and welcoming immigration policy after Brexit to protect the UK's tech sector from decline Continue Reading

Spotlight on the Digital Career Institute, Berlin

Digital Career Institute is teaching refugees and unemployed people to do web development in Germany Continue Reading

Good Things Foundation report highlights economic downsides of UK digital exclusion

A report from the Good Things Foundation highlights the economic risks of failing to address digital exclusion in the UK Continue Reading

Average technology salary in UK&I reaches over £80,000

The average salary for IT professionals in the UK and Ireland is over £80,000 a year, Computer Weekly has found Continue Reading

Education and training to help build the future, not just preserve the past

Unless you understand the past you cannot make sense of the present let alone make sensible preparations for an uncertain future. Unfortunately most discussion on education and training policy is ... Continue Reading

DfE enrols BCS to deliver computer science teacher training programme

Initial Teacher Training Scholarship Programme aims to encourage more people to train to teach science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects Continue Reading

UK partners with African countries to boost innovation

UK government has launched partnerships in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria to help startups grow and boost technology innovation in the region Continue Reading

Cobalt cyber heist group mounts new campaign

Security researchers discover new campaign using two malicious links to double the chances of infection, which is believed to be linked to a notorious cyber crime group Continue Reading

Singapore broadens access to AI skills

A national artificial intelligence initiative in Singapore is being extended to the general population to dispel fears that machines will take over people’s jobs Continue Reading

IT leaders at a crossroads as they grapple with digital technology

CIOs have the opportunity to influence their company strategy as digital technology reshapes business. A survey of CIOs across 70 countries charts a path for IT leaders through emerging technologies Continue Reading

DCMS launches fund to increase diversity in tech

More than £1m is being put aside to increase the amount of diversity in technology, and to teach disabled people digital skills Continue Reading

Google employees command highest UK cloud salaries, Experis research shows

Cloud industry salary data from IT recruitment firm suggests permanent employees of Google make more than their AWS, IBM and Microsoft counterparts Continue Reading

More girls take GCSE computing in 2018, but will they carry on with Stem?

The number of girls who chose to take GCSE computing rose in 2018, but concerns remain over whether they will continue to study Stem subjects later on Continue Reading

Estonia targets UK tech talent

Estonian businesses are trying to close the country’s IT skills gap by targeting UK IT professionals as part of a recruitment campaign Continue Reading

Swedish government and industry address IT skills shortage

Sweden faces major challenges in resourcing its growing IT sector with the right talent Continue Reading

Cyber Security Challenge UK to scale up

Cybersecurity Challenge UK plans to scale up its events and its role in coordinating UK industry efforts to attract talented people to the cyber security profession Continue Reading

Apple confirms teen hacker took no customer data

Teenage “fan” who broke into Apple’s mainframe from his home in Melbourne is believed to have downloaded 90GB of secure files, but no customer data Continue Reading

Industry excitement as Stem A-level numbers rise

The number of students taking and achieving grades in A-levels related to science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) is on the rise this year, giving the industry hope for the future Continue Reading

ICS security at risk in key verticals, report shows

The security of industrial control systems (ICS) is at risk in key verticals due to under staffing, under investment and human error, a report reveals Continue Reading

Education secretary urges tech industry to transform classrooms

Education secretary Damian Hinds has called upon large technology firms to use tech to tackle some of the biggest issues in schools Continue Reading

UK above average on strategic use of analytics

The UK has slightly more chief data officers than the global average, which helps drive strategic initiatives – but security is still seen as a major hurdle Continue Reading

Cyber security double agents most common in the UK

Cyber security professionals who alternate between criminal and legitimate activities or move full-time into cyber criminal activity are more common in the UK than other countries, a report reveals Continue Reading

Government invests £3m in Wales-based Stem hub

A science centre in Wales will be given £3m to develop a Stem hub, which will reach more diverse audiences for its delivery of science and technology teaching content Continue Reading

How digital is driving golf to the connected course

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how one of the most traditional of sports, golf, is turning to technology to engage a new audience and build the connected course. Industry legend Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley discusses IT talent, diversity in tech and Brexit fears. And we assess the offerings of four of the biggest cloud storage providers, AWS, Azure, Google and IBM. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Only 11% of employers do not expect a tech skills shortage in the next year

The majority of employers in the UK believe they will be facing a shortage of skilled technology professionals in the next year Continue Reading

Interview: Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley: 'Scared silly' by Brexit

Renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist Steve Shirley talks robots teaching children, and why Brexit has her “scared silly” Continue Reading

UK relegated to fourth place in UN e–government survey

The UK has dropped from first to fourth in the United Nations’ ranking on e-governments across the world, falling behind Denmark, Australia and South Korea Continue Reading