News

Upskilled jobseekers to help fill London’s critical IT skills shortage

9 Mar 2023

With digital job vacancies in London currently running at around 20,000 a month a scheme has been launched to help plug the gap while offering potentially life-changing opportunities for those from low income and disadvantaged backgrounds.

Recognising the critical shortage of data inputters and software developers, Ingeus has partnered with IT training and recruitment business CodeVerse to launch a pilot Digital Skills Training Academy.

The scheme brings together two businesses that share a commitment to boosting social impact by finding worthwhile employment for people from under-represented communities.

Ingeus will host open days at its 14 London centres for those participants in the Restart Scheme who express an interest in an IT career.

After a pre-assessment they will then be offered a place on a two-week digital skills boot camp, run by CodeVerse and paid for by Ingeus from the scheme’s Performance Fund.

The participants who show aptitude and commitment will then join CodeVerse’s Digital Skills Training Academy, where they will be trained to fill roles most sought after by employers.

CodeVerse will employ them for 12 months, during which time they will be hired out to companies that have data input and software development vacancies.

There will be continuous learning and workplace support during the year including training in ‘soft skills’ such as communication, particularly for those who have not worked if offices before and might may find the environment challenging.

During the year, participants may be offered permanent jobs with the business that has hired them or revert to CodeVerse to secure alternative employment.

The Ingeus team in London is actively marketing the scheme to potential employers and Jonty Rooke, Head of Employer Services for the capital, says: “This offers employers the chance to find trained talent for their vacancies and make a massive social impact, increasing the diversity of their workforces. The partnership will supply people who are trained and fully supported with no risk to the employer.”

CodeVerse Managing Director, Joel Fogde,n says: “We are excited about our partnership with Ingeus. The CodeVerse mission is to help accelerate talent from under-represented communities into high demand tech roles.  
“This partnership will allow us to help many young people with talent but limited opportunities into great roles in the London area.”

 The Department of Business and Industry says 80 per cent of all jobs advertised in the UK now require digital skills. However, employers say the lack of available talent is the single biggest factor holding back growth. Estimates suggest the digital skills gap costs the UK economy as much as £63 billion a year in potential GDP.