Digital
The West Midlands is the place to be for digital, we’ve got the fastest-growing and highest concentration of companies specialising in the digital sector outside of London.
Digital jobs have an average starting salary of £32,000. More than 750 people have gained employment and progressed within three months of training with leading companies including:
- HSBC
- KMPG
- Gymshark
- Parent Pay
- Sainsbury’s
- BT
The training opportunities that the WMCA funds means that there has never been a better time to begin a career in digital, or to make sure your business has the digital skills to grow your company and succeed.
One of the key parts of our Digital Roadmap is to fund Digital Bootcamp training. This is part of a £7m investment from the WMCA which has already trained more than 1,900 residents.
Current Providers
If you are interested in gaining or improving your digital skills, click on the companies below to see the full range of courses available:
- Capita - Cyber Security, Coding
- Code Your Future - Coding
- Generation You Employed – Coding, Data Engineering, Data Analyst, AWS Cloud
- LEAD - Digital Marketing, Data Analytics
- Resume Foundation - Cyber Security, Data Science, UX/UI, Digital Marketing
- School of Code - UX/UI Design, Data Engineering, AI
- The Skills Network - Data Analyst, Digital Marketing x 75
- Tech Talent - Cyber Security, Data, Coding
- Twin Training International Ltd - Cyber Security, AI, Front End Development (Coding)
- University of Birmingham – Coding, Data Analytics
Digital Skills Training Pilot Evaluation Report
West Midlands Combined Authority commissioned Winning Moves to complete an evaluation of its Digital Skills Pilot, which aims to support unemployed and employed (combined authority) residents from the West Midlands to enter and/ or progress into employment with digital occupations.
Meet the Digital Skills Partnership board members
Lee is the Local and Regional Government Digital Skills lead for Microsoft UK. She is absolutely passionate about driving digital skills across both the public sector and into communities to ensure no one is left behind.
"Talent is everywhere - but the opportunity is not. I want to help create the opportunity to empower everyone with digital skills for a more prosperous fulfilling future.
Enthusiasm, innovation, thought leadership, and strategic thinking are my strengths."
David has a 25-year career in knowledge transfer which includes leading science parks to promote commercial exploitation of new technology concepts in knowledge-based businesses.
In 2008, he developed and implemented a new strategy to build on the legacy of Aston Science Park the result of which is the Innovation Birmingham Campus - the region’s digital technology hub.
"Provocation of digital talent agenda for a modern economy; focus on opportunity for all - diversification of the talent base addressing career pathways based on digital capabilities as well as academic achievement. "
Nuno manages Cisco’s Corporate Social Responsibility programmes and initiatives, with a big focus on Networking Academy. Networking Academy is a non-commercial digital skills programme to equip people for an ever-increasingly connected world.
"Knowledge about the Education sector, its challenges and opportunities. Connections to other industry partners."
Angela is a member of a senior manager at Aston University working on regional strategy and projects. She is also a Knowledge Exchange Professional with over 17 years experience of bringing together academic and external organisations to collaborate for mutual benefit. She has served on numerous regional bodies to support the digital sector. In 2019, she became the Digital Leaders Midlands local champion.
"I have a good understanding of the priorities for the region as well as the importance of education and digital skills and the local ecosystem."
Jatinder is the Chief Executive of Walsall College, which employs more than 850 people and delivers technical and vocational qualifications, apprenticeships and Higher education to 15,000 students at 5 campuses. His institution also provides online learning and on-the-job training to many local employers.
"I am a keen driver for prosperity in Walsall and the wider region.
Improving digital literacy and access to technologies is key to this, ensuring that students possess the right skills to support our economy."
John now runs a 'Digital End-point Assessment Organisation' to help validate apprenticeships. He has worked across a range of director roles and businesses after leaving the military 20 years ago. His background and experience in telecoms and technology sector have supported large and small employers with digital solutions and training.
"I bring a broad range of experience in many sectors with requirements for digital skills.
I have a diverse knowledge of the digital sector, apprenticeship landscape, and small-to-medium-sized business requirements and skills gaps."