In a recent report published by Jobsite and Totaljobs, the UK’s technology sector appears to be suffering from a skills shortage. It found that multiple skills in the industry are high in demand, with cybersecurity and software development topping this list. In a bid to reduce the number of employers going overseas to hire sufficiently qualified talent, some 44% of them have agreed that sector-specific qualifications and training are key to addressing this shortage and reviving the technology industry.

The business strain caused by the digital skills gap could cost the UK as much as £141 billion in GDP growth over the next ten years according to the multi-national professional services company Accenture. Also faced with Brexit, which could have a stifling effect on the labour flow between Britain and its European neighbours, it’s predicted that almost three million jobs could be left unfilled by 2030. All this research points to a race against time for education to catch up with technology.

Focused on the task in hand, TTR is making all the right moves to ensure its students are equipped with the skills and certifications they need to forge successful careers in IT-related industries. The graduates, in turn, will provide businesses with the digital expertise they so desperately need to remain competitive in the fast-paced, technology-led world we now live in.

Marcela Nowak, Client Relationship Manager for TTR, said, "We’re fully aware of the massive shortage of candidates with the digital literacy skills required to fill specific roles across the industry, and we’re determined to help plug this gap by providing the best and most tailored IT and development training available. By partnering with Premier Group, which specialises in IT recruitment, we now have even greater insight into the existing and emerging skills required by employers operating in the technology space, which will enable us to develop our courses to meet these demands."

Mutually beneficial for both parties, the partnership will help to ensure that TTR’s students obtain qualifications that lead to real industry jobs, while Premier’s team will benefit from having a healthy pool of talent that meets their clients’ needs.

"Essentially, what we’re trying to do is connect employers with candidates to fill more roles within the industry because the skills shortage is most definitely there. We want to be the ones helping to drive change to support the country’s businesses and economy to create a brighter future for everyone," adds Marcela.

Established in 2000, Premier Group specialises in providing a bespoke and consultative staffing solution to both clients and candidates across IT, engineering, and digital brands. It’s excited by the opportunity the partnership with TTR presents, as Ben Broughton, Managing Director of Premier Group explains: "We strongly believe in the power of our people to recruit specifically for our candidate’s skill set. We’re very excited to join TTR in its mission to match talented individuals with careers for which they’ve worked so hard. We then work diligently to understand what the individual candidates are looking for before partnering them with their dream position through our enviable network of clients."

Plugging the digital skills gap is not something that’s going to be achieved overnight, but TTR and Premier Group – two growing companies aligned in their thinking – are confident that through a collaborative approach among training providers, recruiters, and employers, the UK can put itself in a much stronger position to thrive in the digital age within a changing social landscape.