GOOGLE has launched a unique bus tour which will offer people in Scotland free digital coaching and advice.
Part of the Google Digital Garage initiative, the tour will kick off in Glasgow today.
The bus will deliver training at the city’s St Enoch Square from 11am to 5pm, before travelling to more than 50 other locations over three months, to stops such as Grangemouth, Lanark and Johnstone.
According to the latest Scottish Government figures, 90% of new UK jobs require digital literacy. However, the Digital Economy Business Survey in Scotland says just one in four businesses feel their employees have the skills to meet their digital needs and two in five Scottish employers have vacancies in tech roles.
At the same time, research shows up to 16% of adults in Scotland’s most deprived areas don’t use the internet, contributing to gaps in digital skills and opportunity.
Visitors to the Google Digital Garage bus can book in advance or drop in for free workshops and coaching which ranges from beginner to intermediate levels.
The workshops cover topics such as taking your first steps online, how to build your CV and social media strategy. With Google research revealing that nine in ten people in the UK say they feel concerned about their online safety and security, visitors to the bus can also attend sessions on how to protect themselves online, as part of a partnership between Google and Which? The aim is to help people learn how to spot and avoid the latest and most common online scams and threats, with simple steps that everybody can apply easily in their daily lives.
As well as local communities, the Google Digital Garage bus will also provide free digital skills training to charities and small businesses. Google has worked with a wide range of government, education and industry partners to plan the bus tour, including The Good Things Foundation, Bank of Scotland, Glasgow Life, and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is opening the bus tour, said: “Digital technology is connecting us faster than before and transforming the way we live which is why it’s crucial that everyone has the opportunity and support to keep up with the pace of change.
“By providing digital training to communities across the central belt, the Google Digital Garage bus will provide people with the skills and confidence they need to reach their potential while helping to grow Scotland’s economy.”
Alina Dimofte, digital skills policy lead at Google said: “Following our ongoing success in getting people engaged and learning via our high street Digital Garages in Manchester and more recently, in Edinburgh, we wanted to make our training even more accessible, so have started the bus tour to take training right to people’s doorsteps. Glasgow is a brilliant place to kick off this tour, with so much ambition.”
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