The Scottish Government strategy - Scotland's Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland is clear in the role of HIE:
During 2011, HIE is looking to provide additional support in the highlands and islands region to:
* Improve connectivity (including the Highlands and Islands next generation broadband project (described in more detail in Chapter 5)
* Provide ICT business and community support
* Develop ICT skills and digital participation
* Grow the ICT supply chain consistency
However looking at HIE’s website it is difficult to see any evidence for work in this area. Their skills development for business focuses on entrepreneurship and leadership. There are graduate programmes in ICT for graduates, but there is nothing to be seen to support the development of general ICT skills. The 2008 report clearly identifies the need for ICT skills within communities, it recommends development of ICT champions and buddy systems to develop skills, it also suggests that community groups develop ICT strategies or 5-year plans – I’m not convinced that many community groups would have the time, or the energy for yet another strategy.
HIE is in a period of change and has recently re-launched their website both of which may account for the lack of visibility on their website for more detailed information on what they are actually doing to support ICT development in the Highlands.
This ICT skills training gap is without doubt an anomaly and resonates from this notion that young people these days are all part of the 'net generation' or are 'digital natives'. All young people are not totally ICT literate and even those that are may not have the right skills for industry.
ReplyDeleteSo as you point out, there are specific ICT skills needs for business, even if one does presume all young people are technologically adept.