Westminster Employers' Tech Networking Event April 2023

On Wednesday 26 April, University of Westminster hosted WAES for the Westminster Employers' Tech Networking Event. Training providers, digital employers, local authorities and third sector organisations as well as WAES graduates attended on the day. 

They were warmly welcomed by Alison Muggridge, WAES's Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Quality who praised the Digital project supported by The Greater London Authority in order to fund the talent of tomorrow into long-term digital employment. 

Candice Fanning (Digital Skills Hub Co-ordinator) presented a slideshow introducing the Westminster Digital Hub team, courses WAES offer and facilities available to existing and prospective learners from Westminster and around Greater London. 

We heard from a distinguished panel of speakers including:

• Bern Fanning, Head of Digital Strategy & Innovation at The Nichols Group
• Prisha Bathia, Associate Marketing Manager & Chronic Illness Content creator at Google
• Mike Craig, Head of Business Development at GK Apprenticeships / Skillsoft

The Panel answered questions from Candice and members of the audience regarding their experiences in the Digital sector and the importance of helping people build on their skills needed to work in the industry. 

Next we listened to WAES Amazon Web Service Graduate, Sagar Solanki, alongside WAES Digital Careers Coach Eden Palmer-O'connor. Sagar spoke about his learner journey. He explained the challenges he faced and the support he recieved to overcome them. Before graduating the course Sagar was hired for a graduate role at Jisc a digital solutions provider for UK education & research. Eden explained how he supported learners like Sagar get into employment and the importance of continuously staying relevant in the Tech sector by using platforms such as Linkedin. 

The event ended with a speech from WAES Principal & Head of service Arinola Edeh and a networking session for all of our visitors.    

Digital skills are increasingly in demand across all levels and sectors. These can include a range of training, skills and qualifications – for example, computing and ICT, coding and cyber-security, digital media, the use of smart technologies and data analysis.

Fully-funded places are available through the Mayor’s Skills Academies Programme whose mission it is to help to deliver the key actions of the Helping Londoners into Good Work mission. One of the main aims of this is to support Londoners disproportionately impacted by the pandemic to access jobs in the digital sector, including those who are newly unemployed as well as people facing barriers to employment who are underrepresented in these sectors.

WAES proudly offers an essential digital skills entitlement which will help address digital exclusion faced by many Londoners who need to learn digital fundamentals for their lives and careers.