Institute of Coding proves a wise investment

Thousands of people have already enjoyed a taster course in cyber skills and may now go on to pursue a career in the field.

The Institute of Coding (IoC) established by the government in 2018 appears to be doing well, according to new figures.

It told Computer Business Review it has now signed up more than 32,000 learners onto its bite-sized courses in just over a year, with the hope that this figure will continue to rise.

The IoC was established using £20 million in government funding and a further £20 million from companies like Cisco, IBM and Microsoft.

It provides free cyber security training modules which can then be used as a stepping stone towards degrees in IT-related subjects or further training.

Adult learners can also use the courses to glean skills employers will welcome and to ensure they are up-to-date with the digital requirements they may encounter in their day-to-day lives.

A course catalogue is available through the IoC, which also lists further training available from its partners and additional resources.

In 2015, government body UKCES found there was a "sizeable gap" between employers' demand for digital graduates and higher education's ability to deliver them, with 518,000 workers required for the digital sector by 2022.