Digital skills scheme for veterans backed by 6 techUK members
techUK members Capita, Northrop Grumman, Atos, Leonardo UK, Fujitsu and Leidos have joined the 15,000 Futures initiative to help ex-forces personnel and their partners find tech, digital and data jobs after leaving the military. The initiative was launched by fellow techUK member WithYouWithMe, with a name that reflects the number of UK military and their partners who return to civilian life each year.
Companies signed up to the scheme will support its mission to move beyond the CVs and typical recruitment processes that often do not accurately represent the skills or talent amongst veterans. Instead, 15,000 Futures looks at candidates’ aptitudes and uses psychometric tests to match them with in-demand digital, data and tech jobs at these firms, and provides free accredited training pathways into tech sector roles for the veteran community.
This initiative comes in the context of a digital skills gap that continues to hinder businesses’ ability to recruit the talent they need, with techUK’s most recent Digital Economy Monitor finding that 57% of members see accessing talent and skilled workers as a main concern for 2023. Considering this skills gap, and the fast-moving nature of the digital and tech sector, it is perhaps unsurprising that organisations recruiting for soft skills, aptitudes and people that can be taught is becoming increasingly common.
To close the gap, efforts towards driving workforce inclusion and opening up pathways for people of all backgrounds to find digital jobs will be critical, especially those aimed at helping individuals transition between jobs and sectors through training and reskilling. Where relevant skills and aptitudes do exist, like in the veteran community, valuable initiatives such as 15,000 Futures can enable employers to widen their talent pools and help more people into meaningful, well-paid digital careers.
Nimmi Patel
Nimmi Patel is the Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK. She works on all things skills, education, and future of work policy, focusing on upskilling and retraining. Nimmi is also an Advisory Board member of Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (digit). The Centre research aims to increase understanding of how digital technologies are changing work and the implications for employers, workers, job seekers and governments.
Jake Wall
Jake has been the Policy Manager for Skills and Future of Work since May 2022, supporting techUK's work to empower the UK to skill, attract and retain the brightest global talent, and prepare for the digital transformations of the future workplace.