Designing the future of digital business training

A new training solution designed by local business leaders will produce work-ready apprentices with 21st century business skills.

City X, Distract, Co-Space and JH Walter have co-designed the Digital Business Academy with Lincoln College and its first course – Digital Business Intern – launches in January.

On Friday 30 local businesses attended a briefing session on the project. As a result three new firms; Custom Gifts, Optima and Brink have already signed up to help develop the programme further and take on interns.

Responding to feedback from county businesses, who say it often takes a significant amount of time before apprentices can add real value in their businesses, the new internship aims to get them ready to hit the ground running on day-one.

Potential apprentices will be taken on as Interns for 24-weeks and spend a significant amount of time in the workplace.

During this time they will complete a new Level 3 qualification designed by employers and gain Google and Facebook advertising certifications.

When they complete their course they are guaranteed an apprenticeship interview with their employer.

Dean Graham, Publisher of City X and Governor of Lincoln College has helped to create the new Academy and the initial course content.

He said: “Lincoln College had identified that prospective students and prospective employers were looking for something different to what was available and a real opportunity became available to design a marketing course that would be relevant to almost every business.

“The vast majority of companies now have a website, a social media profile and external communications that include digital advertising or content.

“But traditional courses don’t concentrate on these vital areas and existing staff members often have no guidance on best practice due to the rapid growth of an industry that barely existed a decade ago.

“This leaves a significant skills gap that needs to be filled.”

It’s not too late to for local firms to sign up to the programme.

For more information please email Lincoln College Group Director of Marketing and Communications, James Newall