- Click Start is a national training programme developed by the Institute of Coding and funded by Nominet
- It aims to break down the barriers many face trying to enter employment, by bringing together a collaboration of universities, employers and charities
- The programme reaches its first anniversary with 86 percent of learners saying they feel more prepared to interview for a job requiring digital skills
National digital skills training programme Click Start, developed by the Institute of Coding and funded by Nominet, guardians of the UK domain, has demonstrated strong impact in its first year.
The programme is designed to respond to the UK’s twin challenges of low social mobility and a limited, homogenous talent pipeline that results in a digital skills crisis.
These challenges have seen UK adults falling behind, with 18 percent lacking the fundamental digital skills crucial for thriving in today’s workplaces. The country’s digital skills gap costs government £63 billion a year.
Click Start breaks down the barriers faced by those trying to enter employment, bringing together a collaboration of universities, employers, and charities, to ensure candidates are fully supported during their education experience and job search.
To tackle the deepening skills crisis, Click Start equips young people for the workplace. 86 percent of people who undertook the programme are now more prepared to ‘know what to say at an interview for a job needing digital skills’.
Furthermore, 94 percent of Click Start learners left the programme feeling much more prepared to start a new role that needed digital skills, while almost 1,000 learners have since been connected to an employment pipeline or sign-posted to next steps.
Disadvantaged learners or those needing extra support are also targeted with an opportunity for 1:1 learning. Almost 60 percent of Click Start participants who benefit from this support are from underrepresented backgrounds, whilst 17 percent of overall learners have a disability.
This has led to a richer, more diverse workplace as almost 30 percent of deep support learners have progressed into further education, work, or created their own business.
Rachid Hourizi, Director of the Institute of Coding, said:
“Figures show that equipping the population with digital skills really helps to unlock economic growth. The Institute of Coding works to give people from all walks of life access to high quality education in technical and professional skills. Click Start is unique in the industry in that it gives learners strong support from start to finish, and the success we have seen after one year indicates that our collaborative approach is a highly effective way to increase the country’s digital skillset.”
Adib Shehab, who completed Click Start by Be the Business in Digital Skills in Business, and has since started a degree apprenticeship at IBM says:
“The employability coaching sessions were great! Our mentor helped with CV building per industry, interview prep, negotiation tips and just general conversational skills with a lot of advice & anecdotal insights. I have recommended Click Start to people – some have joined already! I would recommend it, even if it’s just for the foundational knowledge & connections.”
Paul Fletcher, CEO of Nominet, commented:
“Click Start was established to address the urgent need for a high-impact digital skills initiative in the UK. It aims to support individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds or those underrepresented in the tech sector, helping them transition into tech and digital roles through education. The digital skills gap in the UK is significant, with almost 18 percent of UK adults currently lacking the fundamental digital skills crucial for today’s workplace[4]. This gap not only hampers business growth but also limits opportunities for many individuals.
“The achievements of the past year highlight the consortium’s dedication to this mission, as well as the talent and commitment of each learner in advancing their careers. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting some of these learners – hearing their stories and learning how Click Start has positively influenced their choices truly brings the programme’s impact to life.”
There are a number of new Click Start programmes launching later this year with leading organisations and charities, while BCS (the Chartered Institute of IT) and early career specialists The Talent People have partnered to give learners access to an innovative new candidate marketplace, launching this month.
The University of Leeds has also recently relaunched their partnered Click Start programme on the FutureLearn platform, featuring up to twenty-nine sponsored courses aimed at tackling the UK’s digital skills gap.