Bournemouth & Poole College contributes to growth in digital business

The recently released 2017 Tech Nation report has named the UK as the digital hub of Europe and states that currently 15,763 digital tech jobs are on offer in Bournemouth and Poole, contributing £352 million a year to the local economy.

Bournemouth & Poole College currently has a number of digital tech courses on offer to those aspiring towards a career in this sector. These cover a range of subjects including cyber security, digital marketing, electronic engineering and computer generated imagery.

Learning manager in digital and computing, Jason Eastwood, from The Bournemouth & Poole College, said, ‘‘We have seen a large increase in the number of students seeking to progress their digital skills as a response to the growth of digital businesses in the south.

“As a college we continue to develop the courses we offer to satisfy the demand and also teach the skills that perspective employers desire. By working closely with local digital businesses, we are told directly what skills are required for any given role.’’

Careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) were also highlighted in the Tech Nation report as the UK and France both consist of Europe’s greatest proportion of millennials with STEM related degrees. However, the numbers of those studying these subjects are still low according to the report.

Jason Eastwood added, ‘‘The College’s own STEM centre proactively promotes equal opportunities for all who are interested in pursuing a career in STEM. All courses are constructed in such a way that upon completion students obtain the skills needed to find and retain a job in this field.

‘‘The STEM centre strengthens our courses’ curriculum due to it housing the most up-to-date equipment needed to be able to maintain our high level of learning.’’