Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Europe’s leading IT company, and Barnsley College, one of South Yorkshire’s leading education providers, have jointly launched a Digital Skills Academy to provide high quality IT training facilities for business and education users in South Yorkshire. The Academy marks the start of a strategic partnership between Fujitsu Siemens Computers and Barnsley College to address the critical skills gap in the IT industry in the area and also to collaborate on innovative business solutions for South Yorkshire’s small and medium sized enterprises. The Academy is a ground-breaking venture, setting a precedent for long-term partnership between IT industry and the college sector.

The launch of the Academy on April 2 at Barnsley College’s town centre site showcased the new e-learning facilities and digital skills courses available for business and education users. Dave Cullinane, Managing Director of Fujitsu Siemens Computers UK, and Pauline Acklam MBE, Chair of Governors at Barnsley College, officially opened the facility. Also speaking was Jo West, Principal of Barnsley College, and John Korzeniewski, Executive Director of Learning and Skills Council South Yorkshire, which has played a key role in helping to fund and set up the Academy as part of the £7.5m EU Objective 1 and Yorkshire Forward funded ‘e-SY skills’ programme. The Academy is the focal point for the Barnsley Centre for Digital Specialism, one of four centres being established across the region through the e-SY skills programme, to make high- level industry training for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) more available.

Other partners who are contributing to the Academy and to the overall Barnsley Centre for Digital Specialism include BT, who are working with the Academy to provide a broadband demonstration facility together with BT Openzone Hot Spots for wireless access to the internet across all the Centre for Digital Specialism sites. Bartec, Fujitsu Siemens Computer reseller, is helping to manage the Academy with Barnsley College and providing full technical support. In addition, the Barnsley Business Innovation Centre will provide some of the leading-edge training capability in the e-business and creative media areas.

John Korzeniewski, Executive Director of the Learning and Skills Council South Yorkshire, commented, “The Fujitsu Siemens Computers Academy is a flagship initiative in our programme to develop a regional skills base in creative and digital industries which will be second to none. It represents exactly the kind of industry and learning provider partnership that can address the flexible workforce development needs of the emerging digital economy.”

Dave Cullinane, Managing Director for Fujitsu Siemens Computers UK and Ireland said, “We are delighted to be associated with such an important initiative for South Yorkshire. The growth of the digital economy is something that local businesses have to embrace and local providers need support with programmes exactly like this. Our products and services provide the foundation for the digital economy and therefore at Barnsley College you’ll find our technology delivering exactly what business needs in this area.”

The Academy will serve students at the college as well as job seekers and those already working in the IT and creative industries. The facility will be managed by a combination of Fujitsu Siemens, Bartec and Barnsley College staff and will provide a business centre for small and medium sized enterprises, a key business sector for Fujitsu Siemens. Offerings will include advice and guidance on better use of business technology, as well as a mix of training and technology solutions for SMEs. Training will cover a range of digital technology skills to support businesses in e-commerce, e-marketing and web services.