Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to address the shortage of skilled workers in the digital and technology sector.

The Industrial Strategy One Year On Progress Report (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306854/bis-14-707-industrial-strategy-progress-report.pdf) published on 23^rd April provides an update on progress on the Information Economy Strategy. The Information Economy Council is driving forward action in several areas including addressing skills issues, barriers to growth, and the analysis and use of data sets.

As a part of our work on skills we have created Higher Apprenticeships as an alternative to traditional graduate recruitment. In IT Higher Apprenticeships there have been 420 starts in 2012/13 compared with 60 starts in 2010/11. We have also created cyber security schools programmes, apprenticeships, internships, Centres for Doctoral Training and will shortly be launching a Cyber Security Massive Open Online Course.