We are delighted that our Growing Talent Digital Leeds programme won the Leeds Digital Festival Diversity & Inclusion Award in 2022. 

This award celebrates organisations and initiatives pushing the boundaries to realise better inclusion for all in tech and driving the diversity agenda in Leeds.

** SPONSORSHIP ** If your organisation would like to join some of the region's top digital employers and sponsor even more activities for young people as part of Growing Talent Digital Leeds over the next year then please contact us by completing the form above. Our sponsorship opportunities represent a unique and flexible opportunity to promote your organisation to the future talent pipeline and we can work with you to meet your wider corporate objectives too.

Growing Talent Digital Leeds

87% of advertised jobs in the UK require digital skills. In Leeds alone there are almost 35,000 people employed in digital but the vast majority of businesses have still been reporting difficulty in recruiting candidates with the skills they need in 2022.

Growing Talent Digital Leeds is tackling the problem by harnessing the combined resources of many different employers and partners to inspire and encourage young people aged 11-18 years to pursue a career in digital.

Led and funded by some of the city's top employers, Growing Talent Digital Leeds is an award-winning annual programme of interactive activities that help young people understand that digital skills will help them access exciting and rewarding careers.

The programme is designed to address the specific skills gaps in digital and develop a pipeline of talent for the city by targeting young people that do not currently see their place in these jobs. Working together we aim to break down barriers and address misconceptions to improve the diversity of the future workforce and ensure digital jobs are accessible to everyone.

Growing Talent Digital Leeds has reached 12,000 young people across the city so far with 90% of the young people involved saying taking part in the programme has helped them understand the skills needed to work in digital and 79% saying they believe they have a future in digital.

Ahead Partnership is at the heart of the approach, bringing partners together to help them work together and turning plans and ideas into concrete action to ensure digital skills are driven forward across the city.

How does it work?

Growing Talent Digital Leeds involves a year-round programme of exciting careers and skills activities led by employers such as masterclasses, careers panels, festivals and events.

The programme includes a mix of in-person and virtual activities to be able to reach as many young people as possible through the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, and activities range from city-wide skills events to workshops delivered at individual schools and colleges. Together we want to gradually reach every secondary school and college in Leeds with these inspiring and valuable experiences.

There are opportunities for employers of all sizes and across industries to get involved and volunteer their time, expertise or sponsorship to bring as many activities and opportunities to the city's young people as possible. Every sector needs to promote digital skills and we are committed to showing young people just how broadly digital skills are needed across the business landscape.

#GIRLTECHLEEDS 2023 Thanks to all of the organisations and volunteers that attended our #GirlTechLeeds event on Thursday 4 May 2023. #GirlTechLeeds is our highly successful citywide event for young women aged 12-14 years old in Leeds. #GirlTechLeeds is targeted at young women before they make their GCSE subject choices and provides them with the latest information and inspiration on careers in tech and digital. The event is designed to allow them to meet female role models from the sector as well as taking part in hands-on, interactive activities that show them what these jobs are really like. At our 2023 event 100% of the young people that attended felt it helped them to fully understand the skills needed to work in digital! We will have details of our 2024 #GirlTechLeeds event on this page very soon.

How can I get involved?

Please complete the form below to express your interest in taking part. We will get in touch to discuss how your organisation would like to get involved.