Digitally-trained staff 'in demand' in south-east

Demand for digitally-skilled employees is increasing in the south-east of the UK, with a growing number of companies in this area providing digital services.

However, according to Steve Thompson from recruitment agency Touchpoint Resource Ltd, despite the large amount of opportunities available, firms are still noticing a skills shortage.

He said in an article for the District Post that up to 750,000 jobs could be created over the next five years to expand the nation's digital economy, but it is difficult for organisations to recruit candidates with the right knowledge and experience.

Mr Thompson explained that the problem lies in young people not receiving good enough career advice before they decide whether they go to college, university or embark on an apprenticeship, and reversing this could enable them to land successful careers in the digital sector.

"Furthermore, not enough help is being given to re-train more mature workers that have found themselves out of work due to redundancy," he added.

Everyone should have the chance to develop digital skills, including those who are currently in work and would benefit from adding to their list of capabilities.

By launching e-learning platforms, employers can give their staff the chance to compete with other workforces that are embracing the digital revolution and becoming increasingly reliant on IT systems.

It also means that employees grow more familiar with computers and various web resources, and are able to access relevant training materials in their spare time, out of office hours if they wish.

That's not to mention the benefits online learning can bring for bosses, who would otherwise have to fork out a large proportion of the company budget on providing manual training. E-learning is cost-effective, helps with key administrative tasks and much more engaging than other forms of development.

This view was the topic of a recent Training Zone blog, which noted that online training allows instructors to individualise learning rather than deliver it in a group, with the latter being a less personal and less effective method.