The news that former Downing Street tech liaison Benjamin Southworth has plans to open a technology school is very welcome indeed.
The IT skills gap is finally being recognised by the government as an issue that desperately needs addressing, and so a school to teach 16- to 19-year-olds how to code would be ideal.
It comes after the announcement of a new IT curriculum in 2014, which Education Minister Michael Gove hopes will switch the focus from Excel-style spreadsheets to the actual know-how required to understand computing.
A more relevant curriculum could take some hints from the private sector too, where Oracle Academy is just one provider of free educational software to help kids create apps and design animations.
This education ‘do-over’ is specifically targeted at those aged up to 16 – the government would do well also to encourage more higher education establishments like Southworth’s proposed academy.
That way school-leavers have the option of specialising in computer science after their GCSEs as an alternative to sixth form, meaning that those who opt not to go to university will swim – not sink – in their first tech job.
I was recently told the IT skills gap has a deadline of five to 10 years. With more academies like this one, maybe that time could be cut down somewhat.
