UK Government Launches Digital Skills Brand to Attract Top Tech Talent to Civil Service

Dear Lion Herald Reader

The Cabinet Office has unveiled a new brand, "Government Digital and Data," aimed at recruiting top-tier technology talent to key public sector roles. The initiative reflects the government's commitment to fostering digital innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to enhance public services in the long term.

The announcement comes as new figures reveal a significant surge in the proportion of digital, data, and tech specialists within the Civil Service. Over the past five years, this percentage has nearly doubled, growing from 2.8% in 2018 to 5% in 2023. This surge positions the UK Government as one of the largest employers of digital and data professionals, rivaling major tech corporations in the ongoing battle for top talent.

The newly established Government Digital and Data brand is designed to unite specialists in various roles, including data analysts, software developers, and infrastructure engineers. It aims to provide a clearer career trajectory for individuals seeking to contribute their expertise to the public sector.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, Alex Burghart, emphasized the pivotal role of digital talent in shaping essential and accessible public services. He noted that the new brand signifies a strategic move to attract top talent to the government, creating a cohesive network of specialists equipped to address the nation's most pressing challenges.

Recent cross-government workforce insights indicate a 9% growth in the digital and data workforce between October 2022 and April 2023, reaching a total of over 28,000 professionals. This expansion aligns with the government's commitment to fostering a digitally transformed and more efficient administration. By leveraging innovation and boosting productivity, the growing digital workforce is expected to contribute to the government's goal of reducing the overall civil service and saving up to £1 billion by March 2025.

The “Government Digital and Data” emerges as the first-ever community leading digital transformation in government. The initiative is accompanied by insights indicating that a significant portion of the digital and data profession, including 66% of senior civil servants in digital roles, is based outside of London. Software developers, constituting 13% of all filled roles, emerge as the most in-demand specialists within the Government Digital and Data profession.

Chief Digital Officer for Government, Mike Potter, highlights the scale and excitement of Government Digital and Data as an employer, standing shoulder to shoulder with tech giants in the UK. He emphasizes the unique selling point for prospective talent – the opportunity to directly impact lives on a national scale through cutting-edge technology and data.

The new brand seeks to promote collaboration, innovation, and knowledge-sharing across government departments and the wider public sector. With a strapline of "transforming lives through technology," Government Digital and Data aims to attract talent from various sectors, showcasing the distinctive nature of public sector work with a profound national impact.

The announcement coincides with the government's Digital Secondments Programme, which opened for applications in September. This program invites the UK's top technical minds from various industries to work on critical challenges, including cybersecurity and emerging technologies, further reinforcing the government's commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.

As the Government Digital and Data brand takes center stage, it marks a significant step in reshaping the landscape of digital expertise within the Civil Service. We wish long life to this new initiative

Fabrice Iranzi, Editor in Chief / Lion Herald

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