Dell is currently running a programme called “Digital Futures”, developed for secondary school students and designed to help raise awareness about the diverse nature of opportunities to students of technology, both inside and out of the technology sector.

The program is an attempt to cleanse IT from misconceptions; it is a showcase to youth about how IT has embedded itself in their everyday lives and empowers them to do their best in whatever career they choose. The program clarifies, boradens horizons and inspires students to believe that the sky’s the limit when it comes to opportunities.

IT is a very large employer in the global economy, and global figures are showing that job growth the IT and engineering sector is very significant, in some cases up to four times that of other sectors. Dell alone employs over 140,000 people worldwide. They have historically seen large numbers of suitable graduates for this sector. However, in recent times fewer students have been opting for subjects that would ultimately equip them for careers in technology. This is especially the case for girls, with the result that the gender mix in some countries can be as high as 80-20 male-female, which is a concern to many of us in the industry who value diverse teams.

For this reason, Dell have developed a short programme that is designed to get students to think differently about the place of IT in their future careers. It covers some basic facts about the place of technology in the modern workplace, and the advantages to be gained from having a good understanding of technology-related topics. It looks at career opportunities both inside and outside of the technology sector, and is ideally suited for secondary school students who may not have chosen their GCSE subjects (year 9-10). However, it may also be of interest to students whom have not yet decided on their A-level courses (year 11).

The programme is a mix of slides, videos and exercises and takes approximately 1.15 hours to deliver The ideal size of the group would be approximately 30 students.