EMC drafts in ex-servicemen to bridge IT skills gap

EMC aims to place former military personnel into its UK resellers

EMC UK is looking to address the "alarming" IT skills gap in the country by training up ex-military personnel with a view to finding them jobs at resellers or encouraging them to start up their own.

The vendor is investing £250,000 in a seven-week programme designed to train ex-servicemen to design and sell enterprise IT. EMC is working alongside specialist military support group X-Forces on the scheme.

The seven-week course will offer participants lab and online training which covers IT architecture and design; training on storage solutions; and information about data protection.

Once the training is complete, EMC will help find the 20 participants jobs at some of its UK resellers or will support them in their efforts to start up their own EMC VAR.

EMC's UK public sector director Ian Heath, who used to be a British Army captain, said addressing the skills gap was a priority.

"The UK IT industry faces a very real and alarming shortage of trained IT professionals that threatens to impact our overall economy," he said. "Providing training for military leavers is one of many ways that we can address this challenge.

"Our military is full of highly driven and motivated people. Being able to offer them some support during their transition to civilian life is something industry needs to increasingly embrace for our mutual benefit."

Ren Kapur, chief executive of X-Forces, said: "The opportunity EMC and X-Forces are providing is both exciting and essential. It is ground-breaking for two reasons.

"Firstly it bridges the gap and delivers fit-for-purpose expertise into those vital areas where skills shortages will impact corporate and national economic recovery and growth if they are not filled.

"And secondly, of equal importance, it recognises the human nature of the solution, and delivers hope, opportunity and support to this cadre of highly capable people, ensuring that they can aspire to fulfilling and sustainable second careers."