Third ‘Weave Town Talk’ event to focus on digital skills

People are being urged to grab the chance to learn how the north west is leading the way on developing the digital economy.

The third event in the Weave Town Talks programme will showcase how the region has pioneered the growth of expertise in digital skills. The event will be held at Macclesfield Town Hall, on July 13, from 6.30pm to 9pm.

Leading organisations at the forefront of this growing sector, such as the BBC, Barclays and advertising agency McCann, will explore how they are ensuring greater accessibility and reducing exclusion for all internet users. The Skills Funding Agency predicts that within 20 years 90 per cent of all jobs will require some element of digital skills to boost productivity.

Research from Ofcom, the communications and broadcast media watchdog, shows that all ages are spending more hours online per week – ranging from 30 hours online for people aged 16-24 to 15 hours for over 65s. However, more than half of over-75-year-olds do not go online and have no plans to do so, reflecting the need to ensure all ages are catered for.

As part of the Shift programme of digital activity, the Town Talks programme brings high-profile sector leaders to the region, to stimulate debate and discussion on the creative and digital sector and raise the profile of these industries in Cheshire East. They are hosted by Weave, the newly-launched taskforce, which champions the sector.

The first two talks attracted more than 130 attendees and focussed on the thriving games design sector in Cheshire East and how an incubator space for creative and digital businesses could be established in the borough.

Future events will explore the built environment, raising capital and boosting creativity.

Julian Cobley, managing director of the Skills and Growth Company, an arms-length body created by Cheshire East Council, said: “Cheshire East has a growing creative and digital sector, with 2,000 businesses employing more than 7,500 people.

“The Weave Town Talks programme has been designed to enable greater networking and collaboration across the sector and ensure its future growth.”

The Weave Network is co-ordinated by the Skills and Growth Company.

To book free places at this talk, and forthcoming talks, visit: www.weave.org.uk and click on the ‘Town Talks’ link.