Tech Channel Ambassadors (TCA) launched to tackle IT skills gap
Founded by industry veteran Ian Kilpatrick, the organisation is looking for members to promote the channel IT industry to schools and education establishments as the place to be
The UK channel needs an extra 100,000 people just to plug the current skills gap, with businesses shelling out around £1.5bn a year in a battle to hold onto key staff and avoid losing them to the competition.
That is according to channel stalwart Ian Kilpatrick (pictured), former EVP of Nuvias, who is launching Tech Channel Ambassadors, a Community Interest Company (CIC) later this month, together with an all-star leadership committee including Crayon managing director Hayley Mooney, Distology CEO Hayley Roberts, Westcoast executive director Alex Tatham, Rubrik's director of channels and alliances Lisa Roberts, Rebecca Monk - chief people officer at Softcat, Wendy Shaw from the TCA and Exclusive Networks' UK&I managing director, Paul Eccleston.
Speaking to CRN, Kilpatrick said the idea for the TCA was born from 40 years of channel experience and after his involvement with the STEM Generation Charity, and being a judge for the CRN Women and Diversity in Channel Awards.
"We need more people in the IT industry, particularly women, and everybody is saying to get youngsters interested in the industry as early as possible - get them involved from Primary School level," he said. "We have had a shortage of talent for decades, and there is a continual stress point with companies paying money to hire and retrain talent, followed by churn and then having to repeat the cycle again. It also puts pressure on salaries at the top end of a business and across the whole chain.
"Everyone is struggling to get more staff - what we need is a channel-wide strategy that goes down to schools and up to government and NGO levels," he added. "We have to make the message heard that our industry is an area where you can do great things."
Co-operation is key
He explained that there are many companies delivering exceptionally good practice, the founding members of the committee being prime examples, but it is exception not the role.
"What we need is a co-operative approach, across the channel to address the systemic failure to attract enough talent into the industry, both tactically, but also strategically," he said. "We as a multi-billion-pound industry - Vendors, distributors, VARs, SI's and service providers - have all the capabilities to address the awareness and inclusiveness issues to resolve this.
"Indeed, some of the solution is just to broaden and support the messages from so many successful areas. Getting awareness to more women, Neurodiverse, BAME, disabled, deprived, return to work etc, that ours is an industry strongly inclusive and supportive for everyone."
Kilpatrick added there is a need for the channel to go beyond universities and into schools at Key Stage Three and Four, and even at Key Stage Two level to drive awareness of the industry.
"When we talk to pupils and teachers, many don't see IT as a profession. When it comes to careers advice, our industry can be put on a par with something like woodland management, valuable as that is. Pupils self-exclude because they say they are not great at maths and science - but you don't have to excel at those subjects to get into the channel - there are huge career prospects around sales, marketing, customer experience, logistics, and way more - the possibilities are endless. They just need to know this."
How will it work?
TCA will work by companies joining as members and then having internal staff, ideally younger team members, act as ambassadors to go out to schools and give short presentations in their local areas and engage with pupils to encourage them to consider the IT channel as a future career choice. TCA will provide content and delivery support, and will also work closely with the many already successful organisations supporting LBGTQ+, the BAME community, neurodiverse, minorities, disadvantages backgrounds, maternity leave returners and retired people who want to return to work, plus others, to ensure that a unified long-term approach is provided.
Kilpatrick said members will get ROI.
"Of course, people will ask "What's in it for me?" We don't expect anyone to commit any resource to this without any return. As we build a network of ambassadors across the channel from service providers, VARs, vendors, distributors and more, we will be offering backend support collating data to help them measure and drive results - we will also be there to track progress and help with people engagement," he said.
To find out more and to become a member of Tech Channel Ambassadors, visit the website here.