IT Foundry Leading The Way

As we move toward 2010 we are actively being encouraged to increase our digital skills. Various Government taskforces are in place to ensure that as a nation we are ready to face future technological developments.

Digital 2010 is an action plan that sets the compass for successful development of digital skills across Yorkshire and the Humber for the next four years. It involves a partnership of all those across the region who plan, fund or deliver education and training to improve digital skills

The aim of the project is to train a number of teachers throughout Yorkshire and Humber in Adobe Multimedia packages which in turn will then be taught to a new audience. Yorkshire Forward provided funding for more than 100 teachers and 200 learners to be trained in these new qualifications such as Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Flash. These are design packages which enable the user to create web pages, graphic design and animation. All important skills for any business today.

Yorkshire and the Humber is the only region in the world to have taken this step to ensure people in the area have these much sought after qualifications. The IT Foundry at Sheffield Hallam University is the first training company in the South Yorkshire region to complete the programme. Monday 9th June saw a celebration event held at Millennium Galleries, Sheffield to celebrate the successful completion of the Adobe Multimedia Software Applications project. Dave Rotherham, head of IT foundry said 'I'm delighted to see the members from industry and partners from the programme, joining both trainers and students who are here to collect certificates for their achievements.'

IT Foundry's Dave Rotherham with Jessica Neilson-Drury of Rotherham
College of Arts & Technology; Top score (joint) in Dreamweaver 8
 

Scott Buckley from Certiport who provide the certification for Adobe and Microsoft courses kicked off proceedings by explaining that two IT exams are taken every minute of every day. Figures like that go to show the emphasis employers and individuals are putting on qualifications in IT and digital related subjects. He then went on to explain that the pass rates for the IT Foundry were 83%, 27% above the world wide pass rate of 56%. He said that it is a testimony to the quality of training both teachers and students had received to ensure such high results.

Bev Foster from Yorkshire Forward spoke of the 'amazing results' the programme has delivered and said how great it is to see so many people in the region achieving these qualifications.

Yorkshire Forward’s Bev Foster gives the local Regional Development
Agency perspective
 

David Kay from Sero finished the talks by emphasising the need for real skills to be taught in schools. Using Facebook as an example he reminded us how 5 years ago the concept of online communities and networks was non existent. Yet anyone under 30 is likely to have a myspace, bebo or Facebook page. With many companies choosing to enter into these forums as a way of marketing themselves it makes sense that today’s online friends will be tomorrow’s customers.

David Kay of Sero delivers an impassioned speech on his vision for
digital communities
 

For more information on training courses offered by the IT Foundry please visit www.itfoundry.co.uk .  For more information on courses available from Certiport, including Adobe and Microsoft certification, please contact sbuckley@certiport.com.

The new Certiport brochure proved very popular!