V3 launches skills campaign to boost IT teaching across UK

V3 has today launched a campaign designed to achieve excellence in IT education across the UK, and equip the next-generation workforce with the right technology skills to boost British business.

V3 has become increasingly concerned that current measures being taken to overhaul the IT curriculum and GCSE syllabus will not lead to young people being taught the technology skills needed by industry.

The V3 Make IT Better campaign, launched in partnership with the Corporate IT Forum, calls on the Department for Education (DfE) to give the ICT curriculum reform process transparency and to include the views of more teachers, education advisors and IT professionals from the start.

As part of this campaign, V3 will publish regular accounts from teachers and IT professionals on what they want to see in the new ICT curriculum.

We're also asking anyone concerned with the state of ICT teaching and the government's ongoing consultation process to put their views forward. Email Rosalie Marshall at V3 to get involved.

Many teaching professionals are frustrated their views will not be considered until the national consultation in spring next year, even though a draft for the new ICT curriculum is already well underway.

The IT industry also has to have a substantial say on the content of the new ICT curriculum to ensure young people are taught IT skills for new and developing technology.

Such a curriculum is more likely to inspire young people into the IT industry, which is already struggling with severe skills shortages. Through this campaign we hope to equip the UK tech sector with the required IT skills going forward.

Joanna Poplawska, performance director for campaign partner The Corporate IT Forum, said: "We need to ensure all those interested are given the chance to inform the draft ICT curriculum immediately.

"This is critical if we are going to achieve a curriculum that prepares students for both the IT industry and careers within any ICT dependent industries.

"We are talking about a very broad church but it is the only way we will get students with the right skills the UK needs to have both a flourishing IT industry and a workforce suitable for world class businesses."

The launch comes on the same day that V3 learnt the government held more private discussions with leading IT vendors such as Microsoft, Google and Apple to discuss the reform. For more information about this, and the closed nature of the reform process so far, please click here.