Digital Pathfinder takes the lead in bid to improve digital skills across South of Scotland

Borders College and Dumfries and Galloway College are leading the way in developing digital skillsets across the South of Scotland.

In partnership with DYW Borders, DYW Dumfries and Galloway, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Borders Council and Dumfries and Galloway Council – the Digital Pathfinder programme is designed to help the region become more competitive by facilitating the delivery of higher-level digital skills to students, individuals and businesses.

This project will expand the region’s digital talent to provide employers with the skills pipeline they need as we move towards a more digitised economy.

The Digital Pathfinder will build upon the work of the South of Scotland Digital Skills Hub and help align provision, programmes and curriculum offerings to the current and emerging needs of students and employers across the region.

Through a combination of targeted promotion and delivery support, the colleges are seeking to promote opportunities for digital education and extend the number of college and upskilling places in this area.

It is hoped another benefit the programme will bring will include seeing more post-16 learners on digital courses.

To facilitate this, the colleges will work together to promote a fully coordinated plan of events and courses to take forward into the next academic year, with some learner opportunities also being available in Spring/Summer 2023.
 

Joanna Campbell, Dumfries and Galloway College Principal, said:

“We are pleased to partner with Borders College to help deliver the Digital Pathfinder programme.

“There is a range of place-based factors which present challenges within the region and as such the South of Scotland requires a bespoke response.

“We believe this project is an important initiative which will improve the digital skillset across the region.”

Pete Smith, Borders College Principal, said:

“The partnership between Borders College and Dumfries and Galloway College to deliver the Digital Pathfinder enables us to offer far more than each institution could do individually.

“By combining talent, knowledge and research, we will enable the growth of digital skills to support economic growth in the South of Scotland.”