UTC Reading is delighted to welcome Visa as a new School Partner in the award-winning Digital Futures Programme, helping to inspire and develop the next generation of digital talent.
Developed by Activate Learning Education Trust (ALET) in collaboration with leading employers, the Digital Futures Programme connects students with industry professionals through real-world projects, masterclasses, challenge days, employability workshops and work placements.
Visa joins a growing network of employer partners working alongside the Trust to help address the UK’s digital skills gap. Through the partnership, Visa colleagues will work directly with students, sharing industry expertise and providing valuable insight into careers within one of the world’s leading digital payments companies.
The Digital Futures Programme gives students first-hand exposure to the fast-moving technology sector, helping them develop the knowledge, skills and confidence required for future careers in digital industries and digital infrastructure.
Today, the programme is supported by an impressive network of industry partners including AWS, CBRE, ARK Data Centres, CNet Training, DataX Connect, Yondr Group, VIRTUS Data Centres, LMG and CyrusOne. Together, these organisations contribute more than 8,600 hours of employee engagement each year, supporting careers education, employability skills and curriculum-enrichment opportunities for students across ALET’s UTCs.
Mark Revell, Director, Global Data Centre Engineering & Operations at Visa, said:
“Visa is proud to support the Digital Futures Programme and invest in the future of our industry. We are passionate about helping young people discover the opportunities that exist across technology and digital infrastructure, including the often unseen but essential world of Data Centres. By working directly with students, we hope to inspire curiosity, build confidence and help create a strong pipeline of diverse talent for the future.”
Wayne Edwards, Executive Director for School Improvement at Activate Learning Education Trust, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Visa to a growing community of employer partners that includes some of the world’s leading digital infrastructure and technology organisations. Together, our partners are helping to create a blueprint for how industry and education can work together to address skills shortages while creating meaningful opportunities for young people.”
Jennie Thomson, Headteacher at UTC Reading, said:
“One of the things that makes UTC Reading different is the opportunity for students to learn alongside industry. We’re excited to welcome Visa and look forward to the experiences and insights their colleagues will bring, helping our students build confidence and understand the many pathways available within the digital sector.”
The Digital Futures Programme has become an award-winning model for employer engagement, creating meaningful partnerships between education and industry and helping students understand the exciting career opportunities available to them.
Through the programme, more than 1,000 students across UTC Reading, UTC Oxfordshire, UTC Swindon and UTC Heathrow benefit from employer-led learning experiences designed to prepare them for successful futures in STEM and digital careers.
To find out more about the Digital Futures Programme, visit:
https://www.alet.org.uk/our-employer-partners/digital-futures-programme/
