New Campaign to Inspire Future Technologists

Welsh businesses need 17,000 new IT Professionals in the next five years. Yet fewer young people are studying IT, with just 355 young people in Wales sitting computing A-levels in 2011, and considering the exciting prospects an IT career offers.

BigAmbition Wales, from e-skills UK, intends to reverse this trend. Backed by major Welsh employers including General Dynamics, Draig Technology and HP Wales, the brand new Big Ambition Wales website (www.bigambitionwales.co.uk) was launched today at an event in Newbridge, hosted by General Dynamics. Among the attendees were students from Cardinal Newman School and Ystrad Mynach College, the first to see the fantastic resources available from BigAmbition Wales.

The new website shows just how motivating and rewarding careers in technology can be. Featuring video interviews with IT professionals in a range of roles, as well as company profiles, games, competitions and quizzes, it is all designed to show young people the many exciting career options technology has to offer. There’s also information from Welsh colleges and universities to explain how young people can start their career in IT, from GCSEs and A Levels to apprenticeships and degrees.

Speaking at the launch of BigAmbition Wales, Chris Evans, MP for Islwyn said; "I am delighted to support the launch of e-skills UK’s BigAmbition Wales campaign. IT and technology is an exciting sector and it is fantastic that sites like this will provide young people with accessible information
which will lead them into rewarding careers."

Ian Clark of General Dynamics UK Limited, a world leader in the integration of cutting-edge defence and security systems to military, government and civil customers worldwide, said, "Working in IT is a satisfying career that will challenge and reward the best, and particularly those who combine technical and business skills. BigAmbition Wales will inspire and encourage young people to consider this dynamic and fast-growing sector."

Peter Sishton, e-skills UK’s Director for Wales, added "e-skills UK has had fantastic support from Careers Wales, Job Centre Plus, and further and higher education providers, as well as work based training providers. They are all important partners in getting the IT message out to parents, teachers and careers advisers, and ultimately of course to young people themselves."

For more information, visit www.bigambitionwales.com.