TRAINING
Solution – head of strategic development James Dentith says Baltic Apprenticeships , and the North-East as a whole , are helping bridge the digital and tech sector skills gap .
SOFTWARE SOLUTION
How apprenticeships are helping bridge the software skills gap
WORDS : DAVE ROBSON PICTURE : TOM BANKS
An apprenticeship specialist believes its software courses are helping plug skills shortages across the tech and digital sector .
Software design and development are key requirements for businesses today – yet a lack of candidates means it ’ s often a struggle to fill these roles .
But a North-East firm is determined to encourage people to develop their own software talent through apprenticeships .
Baltic Apprenticeships is an acclaimed national apprenticeship training provider . Although it is rooted in the North-East , it works with employers across the country including Equifax and Serco .
Why ? Put simply , it would rather excel in one area than be average in many .
And through its software apprenticeship programmes , it is already playing its part in bridging the digital skills gaps across Teesside and beyond .
The Darlington-based firm offers a range of tech and digital-focused programmes . Through its Level 3 & 4 apprenticeships , it helps start careers in IT , digital marketing , digital marketing , data analysis and software development .
Since the start of 2022 , Baltic has helped 136 people start their careers with a Level 3 or Level 4 software development apprenticeship .
This course was created in response to Teesside business needs and includes training on in-demand coding languages such as PHP .
Baltic even has its own software development training academy where , over a two-week course , candidates get a hands-on understanding of how software development works .
They also begin building their own coding projects before being connected to apprenticeship opportunities – and , hopefully , long-term software careers with local employers .
It ’ s successful too , with 56 people having already completed this Tees Valley Combined Authority-funded academy this year .
Certainly , Baltic Apprenticeships ’ head of strategic development , James Dentith , believes Baltic , and the North-East as a whole , are helping bridge the digital and tech sector skills gap to create exciting opportunities for people starting their careers .
And he firmly believes software talent needn ’ t necessarily leave our area .
He told Tees Business : “ As this sector is also one of the largest growing areas , and intrinsically linked to the economic recovery , it ’ s essential that we identify ways in which we can support people at an early point .
“ At Baltic , we have been supporting through apprenticeships for years in the region , with large global companies through to small local enterprises . We are now taking this commitment a step further and , working alongside Tees Valley Combined Authority , we are delivering fully funded software development courses for anyone aged 19-plus looking to start a career in this field .
“ Software development is currently one of the highest business areas that is outsourced internationally . We want to train talent to take on those roles and help Teesside continue on this exciting growth trajectory .”
But what about the people at the sharp end – the businesses who take on the apprentices in the first place ?
David Porter , director at Middlesbroughbased Surge Marketing Solutions , said : “ The industry has seen a lot of growth over the past few years , which has created a bit of a skills gap . This has made it quite difficult to find experienced developers , especially as everyone is looking for the same skill sets .
“ Apprenticeships are a great way of developing the next wave of talent in the area . We have been lucky enough to find some great candidates who , with a combination of natural talent and a thirst for knowledge , are already proving to be extremely valuable members of the team .”
In a recent survey , 98 per cent of employers that currently employ apprentices said the benefits of having them included addressing skills shortages and adding value for money .
And with an independent report estimating the average net benefit of an apprentice was worth £ 2,496 during their training period , it ’ s little wonder increasing numbers of firms are considering going down the apprenticeship route .
To find out more about Baltic Apprenticeships , visit balticapprenticeships . com The voice of business in the Tees region | 133