The Cabinet Office stated the efforts are being set in motion with a new digital apprenticeship programme, which supports the hiring of 500 early-career entrants into digital roles across government this financial year.

Through the programme, both civil servants and new entrants to be recruited into different in-demand roles, such as cybersecurity technologists and software developers.

The 2,000 other opportunities will include 1,300 additional digital apprenticeship programme roles, and 700 roles created through the expansion of initiatives already in place, such as the Software Developer Programme.

The announcement comes just two months after minister for the Cabinet Office, Jeremy Quin, set out his vision to modernise and reform the Civil Service in a speech to Policy Exchange.

Commenting on the announcement, Alex Burghart, parliamentary secretary for the Cabinet Office, said: “We want the next generation of tech talent to be able to learn their trade helping government to make services better for the public.

“These apprenticeships are going to build great new digital careers and capabilities both in Whitehall and across the country.”

Meanwhile, through the recently announced Digital Secondments Programme, UK tech experts are being called to help bring external knowledge in-house, and give civil servants the opportunity to work with professionals from successful businesses.

Both the Digital Secondments Programme and apprenticeship recruitment initiative have been developed to support a new target for 6% of Civil Service to be working in digital, data, and technology.

Jeremy Quin himself also commented, saying that the “announcement drives forward our plans for a modern Civil Service equipped with the skills and capabilities needed to harness the power of digital, data and technology.

“By attracting and retaining the best talent, we will keep pace with technological change and deliver more efficient services for the British public.”

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The news comes as an update for the Central Digital and Data Office’s (CDDO) 2022-25 roadmap for digital and data is published. The roadmap was launched to support the aim of bringing more tech professionals in-house and subsequently bettering public services.

The updated roadmap announces the publication of a new framework for the government’s use of generative AI, and also a requirement for departments using outdated IT systems to boost plans for modernising technology.

According to analysis undertaken when the roadmap was published in 2022, there’s an estimated potential saving of over £1 billion in taxpayer money through the digital transformation of services, eliminating the costs of paper-based services and processes.