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Digital Skills Partnership

The government is working with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and Combined Authorities (CAs) to help establish Local Digital Skills Partnerships (Local DSPs) across the country to tackle local digital skills challenges and build thriving and inclusive local economies.

In 2018, three Local DSPs were set up in Lancashire, Heart of the South West and the West Midlands. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) invited all other LEPs and Mayoral CAs to submit Expressions of Interest to form a Local DSP pilot. A further three regions were selected, including the South East (Read more here).

Trailblazers

The six Local Digital Skills Partnership trailblazers were allocated funding to employ a Regional Coordinator to coordinate the delivery of digital skills in their respective Local DSPs.

In July 2019, the South East LEP appointed James Wilkinson to coordinate its Digital Skills Partnership. James works collaboratively with both regional and national stakeholders to develop innovative models to improve digital skills across their regions, boost their local economies and share this best practice with other LEPs and CAs.

SE DSP Members have agreed our five priorities for action in the region: Support to SME’s to ensure staff and leaders are responsive to developing technologies, Support to Educators and Students to ensure they have the confidence to teach digital subjects and modules or leave with the skills required in the increasingly digital workplace, Support to residents to prevent further digital (and social) exclusion, ensuring alignment between education and industry need and the development of a South East Digital Skills Prospectus.

We’ll be regularly updating stakeholders across Kent, Essex and East Sussex about progress, sharing information about offers from regional and national DSP partners to help improve residents’ digital skills and inviting support from partners and individuals.

Our COVID-19 Response

The SE Digital Skills Partnership continues to compile and update information about guidance and support open to residents across the region, and ways in which businesses and individuals can offer support themselves. Thanks for alighting here – scroll down for the following:

  • This week’s headlines
  • Our growing list of resources for Business, Educators/Students and Residents (including furloughed staff and those looking for work)
  • Our latest update from the South East Digital Skills Partnership

All the best from us all at the SE DSP and hope readers are keeping safe and well

Our evolving list of information and resources for Businesses, Educators/Students and Community/Jobseekers/Furloughed Staff

We’ve contacted all members of the extended Digital Skills Partnership network in the South East, asking them to send us details of ways in which they’re helping education, businesses and residents to respond to the current situation. If you haven’t been contacted but would like to send details of your organisations’ offer, send info to james.wilkinson@southeastlep.com. We’ll continue to update the list throughout the lockdown period.

Take a look at these attachments, for information for businesses and staff, educators and students and residents (including those looking for work):

Businesses, Charities, Staff and Leaders

Information for Charities and SME Staff and Leaders

Students/Educators/Young People and Parents

Info for Teachers, Students and Parents

Community/Furloughed Staff

Info for Residents, including Furloughed Staff and Jobseekers

We’ll continue to update the website and share information with partners over the coming days. If you’d like to be added to the SE DSP distribution list, email james.wilkinson@southeastlep.com