Mayor unveils plan to make West Yorkshire a digital giant

Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, has launched a plan to improve digital skills and help grow the region’s digital sector.

The Mayor’s first Digital Skills Plan, will ensure that everyone across West Yorkshire can develop the digital skills they need to get the career or life skills they want, with the goal of creating an inclusive society and thriving economy.

Supported by officials from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Mayor’s Digital Skills Plan is aimed to appeal to everyone, no matter their technology experience.

The new plan sets out a variety of objectives including rolling out a programme to help raise school-aged children's digital literacy and launching a region-wide digital skills campaign.

The Mayor aims to inspire businesses and charities to invest in digital skills to transform their workforce through this plan whilst also promoting digital careers to younger people.

Ms Brabin said: “Equipping people with the digital skills they need to succeed is a key priority because everybody should have the same chances to get on and live a happy life.

“West Yorkshire’s digital sector is already punching above its weight and we will continue to build on this by supporting businesses to grow and to innovate.

“You can’t level up communities like ours without digital skills, and our plan sets the path for the future.”