#10KinTech campaign
QA Apprenticeships, one of the UK's leading apprenticeship providers, are committing to get 10,000 young people into Tech through a year-long campaign.
Research has shown that 75% of 16-24 year olds claim they could not live without the internet and that they feel empowered at the level of information it offers them**. Harnessing what is already second nature to the youth population, QA Apprenticeships achieved the feat of securing 5,000 apprentices in the space of five years, but the company plans to reach the milestone of 10,000 in the next year.
The campaign is already well underway, with a wide range of support from employers, partners, and education leaders at the highest level, including life peer Lord Lingfield Kt DL, Chairman of the Institution for Further Education. He commented:
"I am delighted that QA, an award-winning and outstanding provider of apprenticeships, has taken on the challenge of encouraging and supporting more employers to provide Tech and Digital apprenticeship opportunities in their organisation. I am supporting their #10KinTech initiative as an enormously positive way to galvanise all stakeholders to achieve the worthy goal of helping 10,000 apprentices start their careers in these vital sectors."
Supported by government and big business
QA's 10KinTech campaign complements the government's new plan to create 3 million apprenticeships by 2020, and industry heavyweights such as EE, Microsoft and notgoingtouni.com have already made their pledges to the campaign. Ben Pike, Director of QA Apprenticeships, commented:
"Technology is influencing every aspect of our everyday lives, from apps, to business, music and even fitness. There is a real need for fresh young talent to cope with the demand and evolution the sector is seeing. Our campaign will see the youth engage with a future in technology, and employers embrace apprenticeships as an industry standard for recruitment and skills."
QA Apprenticeships are at the forefront of those offering alternative career options to Higher Education. Rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, we already offer the UK’s widest range of IT, tech and digital apprenticeships from GCSE to MSc, with 92% of employers celebrating the value the programmes add to their business.
QA’s initiative has seen support spreading the full breadth of the UK, including comments from the pioneers of apprenticeships in Scotland. Shannen Scott, Head of Apprenticeships in Scotland, commented:
"We're supporting QA’s #10KinTech campaign because it is a great way to address a national skills gap that we're facing at the moment in the IT industry. Investing in young people is really important for economic growth as well, so we're really, really proud to be supporting this."
QA and our partner organisations hope to raise awareness of alternative routes into education and how young people can kick start their careers. We hope to dispel the stereotypes and stigma around apprenticeships, providing credit and recognition to a business sector that is providing vital infrastructure to global commerce.
* QA Apprenticeships' research March 2015
** Youthnet.org, Life Support – Young people's needs in a Digital Age