Data, Digital and Creative Interest Group – a blog by Karl Hilton

The world of data and creative digital businesses are developing rapidly. The UK needs a workforce skilled and confident at operating in digital businesses of all kinds.

Two years ago the government recognised the importance of educating future generations in how to not just function with, but be part of creating the future digital world of products and services. NESTA commissioned a report in to how computer science and programming skills were being taught in our schools. It found that huge numbers of pupils were dropping out of ‘ICT’ (Information, Communication and Technology) classes because they were seen as boring and unchallenging. The curriculum taught children how to use ‘Word’ and ‘Excel’ but didn’t teach them how the programs are developed. The country was teaching a generation how to use something but not how to create it. This has been identified as not only a massive shortfall for future software development but also a big ‘turn-off’ for students who want to be creators and inventors and not merely users.

The NESTA report made many important recommendations to the government which agreed and implemented them in full. This September, for the first time in over a decade, pupils will once again be learning Computer Science. They will start learning the skills required to understand and use programming languages and to apply that knowledge to develop software whether it’s apps, video games or any of the thousands of roles in utility development and tools. The report was aimed at the video game and special effects industries, but the core creative and programming skills that are now becoming part of the national curriculum will benefit all areas of the UK’s digital sector.

For Nottingham, as a core science city, which has a history of software development and is looking to develop its role as a key player in the digital economy, the resurgence of computer science as a key skill for students is critically important. London has done a good job in promoting the importance of the digital economy with ‘Silicon Roundabout’, but there is no reason why Nottingham cannot also be a focus and hub for existing and new digital companies exploiting the skills of local graduates either from schools and colleges or universities.

In October, Nottingham will once again host the annual GameCity festival which, for one week, showcases the opportunities and creativity of the video games industry but beyond that, also aims to stimulate the public’s interest in digital creativity in all its forms. The new academic year, the revolution happening in computer science education and GameCity all highlight the critical importance of planning now for ongoing future success in the digital industries, not as users but as innovators. Nottingham’s schools will play an important role starting in September.

More on the NESTA report can be read here: www.nesta.org.uk/publications/next-gen

For more information on GameCity, please click here.