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Government to
recruit 2,500 tech and digital roles via apprenticeships and
talent programmes as part of skills drive
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A new Digital
Secondments Programme pilot is now open for applications,
bringing in skills from the private sector
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Moves build on
Minister for the Cabinet Office’s vision to modernise and
reform the Civil Service
2,500 ambitious tech talents will be recruited into digital roles
in government by June 2025 through new apprenticeship and early
talent programmes, the Cabinet Office has announced today.
This is being kickstarted by the new digital apprenticeship
programme, which will support the recruitment of 500 early career
entrants into digital roles this financial year across
government.
This new programme will provide the opportunity for both civil
servants and new entrants to be recruited into the most in demand
data and technology roles, such as Cyber Security Technologists
and Software Developers.
The remaining 2,000 opportunities will include 1,300 additional
digital apprenticeship programme roles, and 700 roles created
through an expansion of existing departmental digital programmes,
such as the Software Developer Programme.
Meanwhile, some of the UK’s best technical minds from industry
are being called to work on the country’s biggest challenges,
such as cyber security and new emerging technology, with the
launch of a new Digital Secondments Programme scheme which is now
open for applications.
Both of these major digital skills announcements build on the
vision of Minister for the Cabinet Office to modernise and reform the
civil service, set out in a speech to Policy Exchange in July
this year.
, Parliamentary Secretary for
the Cabinet Office, said:
“We want the next generation of tech talent to be able to learn
their trade helping government to make services better for the
public.
“These apprenticeships are going to build great new digital
careers and capabilities both in Whitehall and across the
country.”
The Civil Service Digital, Data and Technology profession has
grown by 19% between April 2022 and April 2023, and over 600
senior civil servants have been upskilled on digital and data
essentials.
Both the digital secondments programme and new apprenticeship
recruitment drive will also support a new target for 6% of the
overall Civil Service workforce to be members of the digital,
data and technology profession.
Minister for the Cabinet Office , said:
“Today’s announcement drives forward our plans for a modern Civil
Service equipped with the skills and capabilities needed to
harness the power of digital, data and technology.
"By attracting and retaining the best talent, we will keep pace
with technological change and deliver more efficient services for
the British public.”
These announcements arrive as the Central Digital and Data Office
(CDDO) today publishes an update to the 2022-25 roadmap for
digital and data.
The updated roadmap announces the publication of a new framework
for the government's use of generative AI, to ensure departments
can confidently and responsibly use this technology to improve
services. This comes as the UK is set to host the first AI Summit
in November.
It also introduces a requirement for departments using out of
date IT systems to boost plans for modernising technology, in a
bid to save government time and money.
Megan Lee Devlin, Chief Executive of the Central Digital and Data
Office, said:
“The new roadmap commitments published today strengthen the
government's ability to harness the very best technology and data
available to improve people’s lives and livelihoods in the UK.
“We look forward to welcoming more purpose-minded technologists
across government as we announce our skills drive today”.
Significant progress has been made across government since the
launch of the roadmap one year ago.
Notably, the roadmap has driven crucial digital initiatives
across departments. For example, the Department for Environment
Food & Rural Affairs has enhanced its digital and technical
apprenticeships offering through the Digital, Data and Technology
Services (DDTS) Academy, with a special focus on Cloud and
Security roles.
Today's announcements come as the government seeks to leverage
the potential of technology and data to enhance UK public
services and better deliver for the taxpayer.
Analysis undertaken when the roadmap was published 2022 estimated
potential savings of over £1 billion of taxpayer money through
the digital transformation of services, by eliminating the
unnecessary costs of paper-based services and processes.
