State-of-the-art digital facilities unveiled at Cannock College

During an exciting event today, Amanda Milling MP visited Cannock College to officially open the college’s brand-new Digital Skills Centre in front of an audience of key stakeholders and local businesses. During the event, guests were able to meet the Digital Skills Centre team, network over lunch and see the facilities in person.

The purpose of the Digital Skills Centre at Cannock College is to provide the local community with access to a range of courses designed to boost digital skills. 1 in 5 adults lack essential digital skills to be able to live and work in today’s world safely, for example, how to do online banking transactions, maintain a secure computer system using antivirus or back up their phone to the cloud. The Digital Skills Centre will be able to help support local people in and around Cannock to secure these essential digital skills.

According to Labour Market Insights, there are 12 key job roles which have been identified as areas for potential growth within the digital sector in the region. The job roles identified include: Dev Op Engineer, Cyber Security Engineer, Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Data Engineer, Software Engineer, Front End Developer, UX Designer, Systems Architect, Information Security Analyst, Social Media Specialist and SEO specialist. With these specific jobs in mind the Digital Skills Centre will deliver a suite of courses specifically designed to address these digital skills shortages and to support the people of Cannock with securing employment in these specialist digital roles.

Claire Boliver, Chief Executive Principal said “We were delighted to have Amanda Milling MP to officially open our Digital Skills Centre at Cannock College. The Digital Skills Centre will help to support local LEP priorities, and we look forward to supporting our local community with gaining essential and higher digital skills”.

The Digital Skills Centre project has been part-funded by Midlands Engine and the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) from the government’s Getting Building Fund. The aims of the Digital Skills Centre match the LEP’s vision to promote lifelong learning, increase confidence in the use of digital skills in life and work, and increase the number of people in employment within specialist digital job roles.

Alun Rogers, chair of Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LEP, commented:

“The new Digital Skills Centre at Cannock College will play an important role in ensuring that the local community is well-equipped with the digital skills needed for everyday life and work, and help create an even more talented workforce for businesses in the area.

“Digital skills are no longer a ‘nice to have’; they are essential for almost all jobs across a range of sectors. Part-funded by Midlands Engine and Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LEP through the government’s Getting Building Fund, the project is a great example of how investing in skills has the opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives and jobs across the region – something which is very much at the core of the LEP’s work.”