Digital Innovators

Making #DigitalSkills succeed is a key theme of #BTW24, and as the week opens we’re celebrating the incredible impact that our Birmingham Digital Futures (BDF) initiative has had in this space. BDF has immense reach – already engaging with 30,000 young people across the region in the last year alone – enhancing digital literacy, delivering skills development and driving interest in technology careers among young people in the #WestMidlands. With industry support from 70 businesses spanning diverse sectors, including technology, finance, engineering, and public services across the West Midlands, and over 1,133 ambassadors and volunteers, BDF has delivered over 1.5m hours of engagement! Moving forward, BDF will be working to secure more investment and access to even wider networks to deliver the systemic change we know is needed in order to close the digital skills gap in our region and empower the next generation of leaders in the digital and tech sectors. Learn more about the change BDF is leading in the 2024 Impact Report here: https://lnkd.in/etJrCXMD #BirminghamTechWeek #DigitalLiteracy #STEMCareers #FutureTalent #SchoolsEngagement #Outreach University of Birmingham Jack Tasker Harjinder Kundra Victoria Pargetter-Garner Laura Giddings James Muscat-Sharp TechWM PwC Tech She Can Digital Innovators Entrust Ahead Partnership Yiannis Maos MBE Sheridan Ash MBE Mick Westman Sharon Cufflin Stephanie Burras CBE Matt Hammond Becky Patel

💡 "Digital Innovators made every one of our students feel valued and passionate." 💡 The ultimate goal of education is to prepare young people for success beyond the classroom. At Digital Innovators, we’re proud to be making that impact through real-world projects, industry mentorship, and a focus on key behavioural competencies. Our measurable outcomes speak volumes: ✅ 30% of learners report increased confidence ✅ 90% of partner institutions renew their engagement ✅ 8 new partnered schools and colleges this academic year If you’re looking to provide your learners with the skills they need to succeed in today’s fast-evolving workplace, let’s talk! Let's help young people unlock their potential and thrive in their future careers together.

✨ Celebrating Jordan’s Success Story! From DI Graduate to Apprentice 🚀   Jordan’s journey with Digital Innovators began through The Ideator Programme this summer in collaboration with Uniper. The experience gave Jordan invaluable insights into the skills needed to thrive in a real-world business environment, as well as demonstrating his natural capabilities to the DI Team. ✨   Jordan’s hard work and dedication have paid off, and we’re delighted to welcome him to the team as a Junior Skills Coach and Technician! 🙌 While working with us, Jordan will also be studying his Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship at Aston University, continuing to develop his skills and contribute to impactful projects.   Congratulations, Jordan Badger, on this exciting new chapter! We look forward to supporting you in your professional journey. 💫

Digital Innovators can transform your talent pipeline 🚀 At DI, we believe in empowering young people to transition confidently from education to the world of work. Joshua Leach went above and beyond in The Ideator and is a prime example of how our programme unlocks the potential of talented individuals making them ready to take on the world of work with confidence and practical skills. 💡 What does this mean for employers? Our programme not only equips young learners like Josh with essential workplace skills, but also nurtures the talent pipeline that companies need. Working with Digital Innovators means gaining access to apprentices who are adaptable, motivated, and ready to contribute from day one. Watch Josh’s journey and discover how Digital Innovators is shaping the next generation of workplace-ready talent that can transform your organisation! 🎥👇

🌟 "An enriching experience that gave my children the opportunity to meet with inspiring mentors that built their confidence and skills." 🌟 At Digital Innovators, nothing makes us prouder than hearing feedback like this from parents who have seen the transformative impact our Transition to Work Programme has on their children. Our mission is to bridge the gap between education and the workplace by equipping young people. And with over 3000 learners supported in just 4 years, our programme continues to make a measurable difference 🚀 Want to learn more about how we can help your child or students thrive? Get in touch with us today via LinkedIn or info@digitalinnovators.co.uk

🚨 Youth Voice Census 2024: Trends Continue and the Digital Innovators Response 🚨   📉 Declining Confidence: Confidence in employability skills continues to fall among students, 30% believe education adequately supports them in developing the skills needed for the future.   🧠 Mental Health Crisis Deepens: Anxiety is at a with 40% viewing it as main barrier to employment.   💰 Financial Strain: Economic pressures are strongly shaping educational and employment decisions. One in ten students has skipped classes due to financial constraints, while 72% of students report money as a major source of stress.   🎓 Limited Enrichment: Opportunities for learner life-long learning remain severely restricted, particularly for underrepresented groups including SEND.   How are Digital Innovators helping?   📈 Over 30% of our learners stated improved confidence throughout our Transition to Work programmes. 💪 Supported over 3000 students in 4 years, providing 120,000 hours of work experience and skills training.   🚌 Digital Innovators with support of Birmingham City Council, provide free bus travel to all our programmes across the region for learners, parents and guardians.   🚀 Digital Innovators this year now provide FREE employability and work experience programmes for 14–24-year-old SEN learners across the West Midlands. Ensuring work experience is open to all and everyone has access to become the best they can be.   Interested in how we tackle the challenges of young people? Please get in touch via LinkedIn or email us at: info@digitalinnovators.co.uk

Another great week of work ready skills delivered by Digital Innovators. Proud to work with them and continue our mission to get even more learners ready for their workplace. 👏🏻

🌟 What a fantastic experience! We are thrilled to have collaborated with Coventry College to deliver the first Transition to Work programmes for their Health and Social Care learners. 🚀 📈 With 80% of learners recommending our programme and over 50% stating an improvement in their confidence, it’s clear that the Digital Innovators approach to real-world problem-solving is making an impact. 🙌 Thank you, Coventry College, for your continued dedication to ensure young people are empowered with work ready skills and partnering with us on this journey to help young people unlock their potential. And more importantly, congratulations to all the learners!

✨ Celebrating Jordan’s Success Story! From DI Graduate to Apprentice 🚀   Jordan’s journey with Digital Innovators began through The Ideator Programme this summer in collaboration with Uniper. The experience gave Jordan invaluable insights into the skills needed to thrive in a real-world business environment, as well as demonstrating his natural capabilities to the DI Team. ✨   Jordan’s hard work and dedication have paid off, and we’re delighted to welcome him to the team as a Junior Skills Coach and Technician! 🙌 While working with us, Jordan will also be studying his Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship at Aston University, continuing to develop his skills and contribute to impactful projects.   Congratulations, Jordan Badger, on this exciting new chapter! We look forward to supporting you in your professional journey. 💫

Our T Level students are mid-way through their Transition to Work with the Digital Innovators. Today the students have been completing a project management task in which they have built a Lego City in small groups. It’s been a fantastic week so far, a big thank you to Digital Innovators for all their support.