BIMA Digital Day is the annual event when digital industry experts head back to school to inspire the next generation of tech talent. During this year’s event, which took place on Wednesday 8 November, members of AND Digital’s three Scottish clubs spent the day with pupils across Edinburgh and Glasgow.

A recent study revealed that 82% of UK jobs require digital skills, yet 69% of leaders feel their organisation suffers from a digital skills gap.

As more industries start to rely on digital technology, there is a significant risk of the gap further widening. But this does offer huge opportunities to the next generation of talent. It is crucial to make sure they understand those opportunities exist.

Annual Digital Day

Inspired and run by BIMA, the digital industry trade body, it’s a day when professionals from across the UK’s digital and technology industries head back to school to help young people understand what a digital career could look like for them.

AND Digital has made its mission to solve the digital skills gap, which does not only include assisting its customers and partners but also inspiring the next generation. A team of Product Leads, UX Principal and Senior Developers went to Glasgow’s Lourdes High School as well as the Milton Campus & Sighthill Campus of Edinburgh College to assist the pupils with their digital team challenge.

Ruth McDonald, Product Principal at AND Digital’s Glasgow club Almeida, said: “We love Digital Day. It’s great to see the pupils get so much out of it. It’s also great to dispel a few myths.

A digital career isn’t just about coding. It’s design, strategy, project management, writing, graphics, leadership, data analysis, animation and much more. It’s a career for anyone and everyone and by the end of the day, I hope we’ll have inspired a few more people to explore what it could offer them.”

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Elena Dumitrana, Product Lead at AND Digital’s Edinburgh club Somerville, added: “The focus of Digital Day is on the pupils at the respective schools. However, a significant added benefit is exposing the teachers to the depth of the digital industry. The development of skills and knowledge at school level is not limited to computer sciences.

“It is really important for the teaching community to understand that digital skills encompass many other aspects in the development of young people.”