TheScottish Qualifications Authority has produced a series of short films showcasing the impact its portfolio of industry-focussed computing qualifications and awards is having on digital skills development in Scotland.
Produced to mark National Digital Learning Week, one of the films has been produced in partnership with the Code Academy at Dundee and Angus College, a unique training environment set up to address the digital skills shortage in the city and its surrounding areas.
Gillian McGovern, Head of Learning, Computing and Creative Media at D&A Code Academy, said: “Since January 2016, the Code Academy has been aiming to bridge the digital skills gap across Dundee and Angus, establishing links between local schools, universities, and businesses, offering a variety of SQA units to candidates, and tailoring the experience to meet the needs of local learners.
“Through the Code Academy, secondary school pupils are able to work towards SQA’s National Progression Award in Software Development, while school-leavers can choose from a range of SQA computing qualifications offered by the Code Academy, including Modern Apprenticeships with local employers. Code Academy also offers adult code clubs, providing an accessible route into what is for many a new career in the digital industry.”
Alastair MacGregor, Head of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths at SQA, said: “Our Code Academy case study is an excellent example of how SQA’s digital skills qualifications are being developed, and delivered in exciting and innovative ways. By working together with the organisations delivering our courses, we are able to input valuable insights into the requirements of the qualifications, creating realistic and achievable pathways into the digital sector, and we are able to help give learners the skills they need to forge successful careers in this growing industry.”
Maisie MacGregor, who is studying Software Engineering at the Code Academy, said: “The knowledge gained is wide and universal but is also opening doors to specialise later on.”
Fellow student Philippa Low says of the courses on offer: “The courses offer you with a chance to develop a wide range of knowledge and skills, boosting your employability but also making you aware of what’s out there in the workplace.”
The partnerships and success stories continue as the Code Academy at Dundee and Angus College was also highly commended in the Innovation category at the 2016 SQA Star Awards.
The full SQA Digital Skills playlist, which alongside the case study from Code Academy, features case testimonies from CodeClan in Edinburgh, and Kyle Academy in Ayrshire, and is on SQA’s YouTube channel.
For more information on SQA’s portfolio of digital skills, and computing qualifications, visit www.sqa.org.uk/computing
SQA
SQA is the national accreditation and awarding body in Scotland.
