Digital Skills for the future

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will visit a digital skills academy in New York that is getting young people into employment.

The visit to Flatiron School comes following the announcement that the Scottish Government is to make £36 million available in loans to support digital skills training.

Flatiron helps young people between 20 and 40 years old in low skilled employment reach their potential by giving them the skills to secure careers in software engineering.

The scheme, which was endorsed by the Obama administration, was one of the inspirations for Code Clan, Scotland’s first digital skills academy, and the First Minister is visiting to continue that vital information-sharing.

Speaking ahead of the visit, the First Minister said:

“Scotland has a proud history of being at the forefront of digital technology, but we are always keen to learn from the success stories of others and there’s no doubt that Flatiron is providing huge benefits for its students.

“Building the skills of Scotland’s workforce is critical for our future productivity. We need to ensure that our women and men have the digital capability and skills that will be needed across all sectors of our economy.

“That is why our £36 million support fund, which will provide loans to help meet the costs of digital skills training is so important. Sharing information and experience with organisations like Flatiron will help us get the best value from this investment, and ensure that Scotland’s economy remains strong and resilient.”