The Manchester Digital Skills Festival conference day, held in the heart of Manchester city centre, has been connecting Greater Manchester’s tech and digital sectors for over 11 years.
Engaging, Energetic and Empowering!
一年一度的活动并不是唯一的机会，而是在英格兰北部举行的众多数字活动之一，让行业聚集在一起，培养我们的技术人才.
From digital transformation companies such as GFT, to well-known brands such as Auto Trader and BAE Systems, through to universities, 数字技能节-会议日是为期一周的科技行业庆祝和欣赏活动的第一天. 它为雇主和求职者提供了一个空间，让他们可以聚在一起讨论寻找顶尖人才等重大科技话题, as well as showcasing the skills that the North has to offer.
The skills event couldn’t have come at a better time, with the Digital Skills Audit recently being published, 显示全球最大的博彩平台的科技公司筹集了5.32亿英镑，这表明科技将留在全球最大的博彩平台，但也强调了需要更多的新人才进入科技领域和进入北方.
会议从下午1点开始，以无缝注册开始，下午5点以闭幕词结束, allowing for a networking and drinks reception to take place afterwards.
The welcome introduction was given by Katie Gallagher (MD, Manchester Digital) and Angela Harrington (Director of Inclusive Economy, Manchester City Council) and was a great introduction and start to the event. 此次活动围绕北方招聘和人才展开了五个发人深省的话题:
Unlocking Early Careers
Levelling up the North
The 2023 Digital Skills Audit
Cost of Living Crisis
Bridging the Skills Gap
真正吸引我注意的一个关键因素是，Auto Trader在开启早期职业生涯和重新培训人才进入科技领域方面做了多少工作. Both Sarah Brooks-Pearce (Future Talent Manager and Disability & 神经多样性网络负责人)和Auto Trader的卡罗琳·阿瑟顿(早期职业顾问)真的让我思考, how we can all do more to not just lock talent in, but allow more diverse individuals to enter the tech industry without ‘barriers’?
If more companies, especially in tech, 采取了更多的措施，把“人放在战略的核心”，正如莎拉和卡罗琳所说，这将鼓励更多的人在他们的职业道路上更快地参与到科技领域, which is something I know GFT is particularly focused on.
What are other companies doing to get more apprentices, graduates, and those re-training for the tech industry? Not only that, 但公司正在做些什么来帮助早期职业经理人制定这些职业发展计划并留住员工呢?
Invest in talent and talent stays!
肖恩·艾伦(Sean Allen)在描述Auto Trader“领先数年”的过程时，说得再好不过了。.
这很好地引导我们进入了由精力充沛的迈克尔·泰勒(编辑)主持的第一个小组会议, TheBusinessdsesk.com).
What does ‘Levelling Up’ mean to you? 对我来说，这意味着与我在伦敦的同事平等——幸运的是，在GFT，我从未感到与我的伦敦同事“不同”——但就全球最大的博彩平台科技行业而言，这意味着什么?
Levelling up Panel Discussion
该小组讨论了一系列话题，从心理健康到是否需要大学学位才能十大正规博彩网站评级科技行业. 对于那些正在考虑是上大学还是做技术学徒的人, the general consensus was no, one does not need to go to university to enjoy the rewards of being tech talent. However, university isn’t just about learning, 这也是全球最大的博彩平台软技能和在不同人群中拓宽视野.
Apprenticeship programmes can provide an ideal way of getting into the tech industry, 但必须结合其他非学习方面的角色和多样化的社会互动，以确保年轻人能够开阔视野.
主要的收获是混合工作如何让我们比预期更快地升级，更多的人能够远程工作. 虽然这确实允许在北部和整个英国获得更广泛的人才库, it does mean having to travel into locations further away for team days, 培训和其他社交互动——并不是所有的事情都可以通过Zoom电话实现!
在短暂但又非常甜蜜和必要的“蛋糕休息”后，我们进行了技能审核, nicely leading on from the topics previously discussed by the panel.
Tom Amies-Cull (Global COO, Dentsu Aegis Network) and Alison Ross (Platform & Operations and People Director, Auto Trader) left the audience wanting more. 幸运的是，我们拿到了一份技能审核的副本(对于那些无法参加活动的人来说), the report is free to download on the Manchester Digital website).
The audit is a fantastic read and I’d highly recommend it, especially for those looking to see what the future holds, 包括主要趋势以及2022年疫情结束对科技行业的意义.
我们的最后一个小组由知识渊博且充满好奇心的Sherell Fairweather(数字战略主管)领导, Manchester City Council), who is a fantastic role model for young females in tech!
The panel was asked for their thoughts on the cost-of-living crisis, as well as tackling the skills gap, and what this means for the future of tech talent.
作为读者，我想问你，你认为企业在这个充满挑战的时代应该做些什么, 由于缺乏熟练人才，但经济放缓的可能性迫在眉睫?
我知道这是GFT正在研究的一个领域，也是我们员工敬业论坛的一个热门话题——该论坛的创建是为了涵盖生活成本危机等更广泛的问题.
To round off our first day at the Manchester Digital Festival, Tom Cheesewright(应用未来学家)讲述了我们如何才能更有战略地理解科技的未来. As we all know, tech isn’t some craze that will fade away, it’s something we will have to adapt to and work with in the future. 有人问汤姆:“我应该教我的孩子们什么，让他们为未来做好准备??“我知道这是我会问自己的问题，也是我想问我侄女和侄子的问题.
Tech to me is the new ‘Doctor’. 这个职业将是必不可少的，就像我们需要医学专业一样.
全球最大的博彩平台数字技能节会议日是北方科技人才的聚集地，如果你这次不能来，我强烈建议你明年参加.
