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HotSW Digital Skills Partnership wins Contribution to the Community Tech South West Award

TSW Winner

The Digital Skills Partnership’s goal is to drive the digital upskilling of everyone living in Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay. Its mission is to ensure there are opportunities for everyone to engage with a digital skills workshop or programme to advance their learning.

The Tech South West Award recognises the difference the partnership is making in the South West.

This relatively new partnership (just over two years old) is funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). It is one of seven Digital Skills Partnerships across the UK to drive forward digital skills initiatives. To date investment in the Partnership has brought a further £410,000 of skills investment into the region with a further £1.7 million pending. The partnership, which reflects the commitment of 30 organisations in the region, representing the voice of the Third Sector, Business (SME’s and Corporate) and Education, has followed an evidence-based digital skills strategy.

The partnership has delivered:

  • Retraining 190 people into digital careers from groups under-represented in the digital sector
  • Working with Microsoft to inspire female school pupils about digital careers and the importance of digital skills for all future jobs
  • Lloyds Bank Digiknowhow sessions, delivered by Google, that reached 400 sole traders and micro businesses in Yeovil, Barnstaple, Frome, Plymouth, Taunton and Exeter
  • Working with 800 plus business during Covid-19 to help them acquire new digital skills to move their business online
  • Enrolled 600 people on a free version of Coursera to acquire new skills whilst furloughed

The partnership is currently working with a Dutch start-up SkillLab, who have developed a mobile app to help people with low levels of work experience translate their life skills and experience into a CV for modern-day work or signpost them to next step learning. The project will support 100 individuals whose roles are at risk through the rise of automation in the workplace.

Charlotte Collyer, Digital Skills Partnership Manager, said: “Congratulations to all the other winners at the Tech South West awards. In such a challenging year, digital technology and skills has come to the forefront and being able to support the development of people and businesses in the Heart of the South West region has been really rewarding.”

Find out more about the Digital Skills Partnership or sign up to receive their bi-monthly newsletter on free digital workshops and resources.

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      David Ralph

      Chief Executive

      David Ralph started as Chief Executive of Heart of South West LEP at the beginning of June 2018. Previously, he had spent 5 years as CEO of the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (D2N2) LEP from 2013 where he oversaw the development of the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan and sector strategies, 3 Growth Deals with HM Government to deliver a £1billion capital investment programme, securing and implementing £200m ESIF programme, the Derby and Nottingham Enterprise Zone, the D2N2 Skills Deal and Time for Innovation programme, community fund and led the executive team to develop the HS2 East Midlands hub. He was also closely involved in the proposed North Midlands Devolution Deal and one of the key architects in establishing the Midlands Engine, chairing the officer steering group. Whilst in this role David was a NED of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone, and Marketing NG, the Outer Estates Foundation and a Governor of Nottingham College and on the advisory Board of Nottingham Business School.

      Before the East Midlands, David was CEO of the Have Gateway Partnership working closely with local stakeholders including the ports of Felixstowe, Harwich and Ipswich and BT Adadastral Park across Suffolk and Essex and prior to that was Chief Exec of the Barton Hill New Deal for Communities programme in Bristol and the Nelm Development Trust in Norwich.

      David is a keen sailor, walker and trail runner.