Digital Advantage is a ground breaking new creative and digital skills initiative for 16-18 years olds in Greater Manchester. It brings together trainers and industry experts with schools and sixth forms to deliver real-world digital skills and experience into the classroom. This will inspire and support students, to take up over 100 digital apprenticeships across the city.
Central to the project will be a competition to develop the best digital product or service from schools across Greater Manchester (£5000 business start-up prize). We will provide the digital skills and training needed to make this happen and to help equip participants for a career in the creative and digital sector.
Digital Advantage will provide over 500 students, teachers and parents with a real insight, inspiration, advice and guidance to an incredible industry that is being transformed by digital technology.
It will open up over 100 apprenticeship opportunities and provide the skills and knowledge needed to get into the industry on the ground floor: To carve out an exciting and rewarding career in the fastest growing sector in the UK.
Digital Advantage seeks to transform the lives and careers of all those who participate in it and to give the whole city a real Digital Advantage.
For Schools
- Digital Advantage addresses the urgent need to get more industry awareness and digital skills into Schools. Schools will receive a package of support to help them prepare students for study and work in Manchester’s creative and digital industries. This includes:
- Inspiration, Insight and awareness of opportunities and careers in the industry with online materials for staff, students and parents;
- Training for students and teachers for the skills needed by advertising, marketing, creative and digital businesses;
- Support to create a digital product or service with a £5000 start-up prize;
- Managed work experience with live briefs and workplace visits, prioritised and supported applications to 100 Creative Pioneers apprentice opportunities
- Assistance to set up new courses, Code Clubs and Digital Holiday Camps
- On-line resources to inspire the next generation of advertising and marketing professionals.
For Industry
Digital Advantage wants to work with Manchester Digital members to develop better coders, content creators and marketeers into the sector. We want to work with companies to:
- Develop a more aware, ambitious and able talent pipeline ready to fill apprentice and other opportunities in the sector
- Increase awareness of the digital industries and the opportunities that exist within it across students, teachers and parents
- Get your brand and your brands exposed to some of the best and brightest kids in Greater Manchester
- Be involved with something that can genuinely close the skills gap and provide you and your business with the digital talent it needs to grow.
The Opportunity for DA Members
We will pay you for your time and commitment.
What | How | Fee to DA Members |
Inspire | Scripted piece to camera telling us about your agency, its brands, their role and their inspiration. Time commitment 1 Hour (Free) | Pro Bono |
Facilitate | Apprentice or Junior staff member to run one or more product ideation sessions in schools. Seeding, testing and developing one or more digital product or service. Time commitment Half Day (Paid) | £150 |
Train | Create and 5, 10 or 20 minute on-line master class with support from The White Room Time commitment 2 Hours (Paid) | £150 |
Mentor | Junior member of staff or Apprentice to mentor school groups on and off line. 2 hours per month over 6 months | £500 |
Sponsor | We are looking for industry sponsors to support Digital Advantage either through cash time investment. A number of sponsorship packages exist from £1000 to £5,000 |
We would like you to be part of this exciting new initiative to give the next generation of talent a real Digital Advantage. For more information and to register an interest contact Andy.Lovatt@thewhiteroom.co
