The BIMA Digital Day survey, just released, shows that British students’ hunger for digital learning is at an all-time high.
The survey, by Opinium, was designed to help BIMA understand the views of students towards careers within the digital industry, including how attractive the industry appears to them and reasons for their choices.
Opinium asked more than 1,200 students aged 10-19 for their thoughts before and after Digital Day.
Key findings:
Hungry for new skills
Students want to learn more digital skills, including joining a coding club (54%) and taking part in online learning for different digital skills (47%), outside of the variety of technology-based classes and technology already provided by schools.
Digital Day boosts interest in digital
80% of students say they would be interested in a career in the digital industry following what they’ve learned from Digital Day. In stark contrast, before Digital Day only about three in ten (29%) students thought the industry was desirable, whilst about three fifths (57%) were unsure about whether they wanted to work in the industry.
Jobs in digital have appeal
Students’ awareness of career opportunities within the digital industry increased after Digital Day—jumping from 20% before Digital Day to 65% after the event.
The research will be used to help BIMA understand better how students feel about the industry, the classes, and skills that schools could be providing, and how best to appeal to students in the future.
Addressing the digital shortage
The survey results show that BIMA members are clearly making a dent in addressing the nation’s digital skills shortage, but more can be done. Ensuring that working in the digital industry is an option for each and every student in the country remains BIMA’s end goal.
Matt Sullivan, BIMA’s MD, adds: “It is clear from these results that Digital Day has a profound impact on students and their interest in learning digital skills as well as their awareness of careers in digital.
“It remains up to us in the sector to work with schools and local authorities to ensure more opportunities are made available to students as the survey shows there is a hunger for more.”
The 10th annual BIMA Digital Day took place in November 2021. The event was sponsored by digital innovation leader EPAM Systems and supported by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) who set the students involved a climate-related, real-world challenge to solve using their digital skills.
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