The digital skills gap has been at the forefront of the news for some time now, on both a local and national scale.

Due to recent government policies, the number of highly skilled workers has been greatly reduced, meaning both the education system and employers are under pressure to do more to help create additional employability skills within the current workforce.

An ideal demographic for employers to target is students. Giving young people the chance to assess if your work environment is the place for them not only helps them choose realistic options for their career, but also gives them an insight into what potential roles are out there, especially within the tech sector.

At Payara, we are strong believers in presenting young people with opportunities to help fulfil their potential. By using our self-named “Grow Our Own” (“GOO-ey”) strategy at the forefront of our recruitment and workforce plans, we have actively built a pipeline of potential recruits for various roles within the business.

This strategy aims to essentially help bridge the gap between education and the workplace and consists of a number of initiatives and activities:

TRADITIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

One of the simplest (yet most effective) opportunities your company can offer is traditional work experience.

Through targeting year 11-13 students from local schools and colleges, you can match the interests and requirements of each individual by providing tailored plans and giving them the most worthwhile experience possible.

For example, you could provide a heavy tech or engineering focus for those students who want to see if a software engineering/developer role is something they want to pursue, or a more varied business experience for those who want to explore if a role in HR, Marketing, Sales, Finance or Tech Support is something they want to enter.

APPRENTICESHIPS, PLACEMENTS & INTERNSHIPS

There are plenty of opportunities that businesses can offer those already in further education, including Degree Apprenticeships and paid placements or internships that range from three months to a whole year.

Degree Apprenticeships are becoming a very sought-after alternative to the traditional university route due to the fantastic benefits they hold for students.

Apprentices are able to reap the benefits of a full industry level salary, and not have a student loan or fees to repay. Apprenticeships also allow individuals to excel in their university work, using their real-time experience to draw from, whilst learning first-hand from colleagues who are experts in their field.

BECOME AN ENTERPRISE ADVISER

Any senior members of your staff can volunteer as an Enterprise Adviser via the Careers and Enterprise Company.

Through this initiative, volunteers can work directly with a local secondary school or college's senior leadership team, sharing their business knowledge and experience and using their network of business contacts to help develop the establishment’s careers programme, ensuring there is a strategy in place that gives its students a range of experiences that build their understanding of employment and the workplace today.

Doing your bit to help bridge the gap in employment – regardless of what sector you are in – should be a high priority for all businesses.

The highly skilled workforce is gradually shrinking, so for a firm to remain competitive in a global market, it needs to ensure that it recruits only the best talent for the roles it has on offer.

By implementing one or more of these initiatives directly into your recruitment strategy, and therefore your wider business plan, you’re more likely to be able to offer young people and graduates full-time employment upon completion of their apprenticeship, internship or placement year, reducing the cost and time required to hire externally.

No business can afford to ignore the issues around the lack of skilled labour, especially if as a business you not only wish to survive but to thrive.

By having a “GOO-ey” strategy in place, not only will you be able to find the right talent, but you will be able to find the right people who believe in your brand and can help drive long-term growth.

Julia Millidge is HR and Operations Director at Payara Services.