Digital Xtra Fund awards £100,000 to Scottish skill schemes

A grant programme has awarded £100,000 to more than 20 initiatives aiming to inspire the next generation of digital experts in Scotland.

The Digital Xtra Fund has granted up to £5,000 each to 22 initiatives supporting digital skills. Picture: Chris James

The Digital Xtra Fund granted up to £5,000 each to 22 extracurricular programmes in an effort to bridge the digital skills gap and help young people to improve skills in areas such as coding, data science and computer-based problem solving.

The fund, whose key partners include Skyscanner and JP Morgan, focuses on creating opportunities for traditionally underrepresented groups in the tech industry, including girls, young people in rural areas, and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Partnerships and development manager Kraig Brown said: “There isn’t always an option for young people to learn advanced digital skills at school, and this is why our funding is so important, as it opens up additional opportunities for young people across a wide range of backgrounds.

“We’re also trying to get the message out there that you don’t have to work for a tech company if you’re into coding or data science. There are career opportunities in finance, hospitality, healthcare, agriculture, even fashion – every industry now relies on technology to some degree.”

Michael Hall, senior engineering manager at Skyscanner, the fund’s largest private sector contributor for this year’s grant awards, said: “A key goal for Skyscanner’s charity team is to support technology education initiatives for young people and those under-represented in technology. We’ve been so impressed with the impact of the fund’s work in Scotland and are delighted to have helped increase the total amount of funding awarded this year from £75,000 to £100,000.”