Digital Critical Friends (DCF) is an initiative that aims to encourage and inspire young people to pursue careers in tech.
Watch our information session on YouTube or find out more below.
What is the Digital Critical Friends programme?
A Digital Critical Friend is a volunteer from the tech industry that is matched with a secondary school in Scotland for 12 months, to mentor and support Computing Science teachers by sharing their knowledge and experience.
The industry mentor will let teacher’s know what’s happening, where the new technologies are, help them advocate for their department, and encourage young people into the subject.
How does it work?
- Matching – we’ll match you with a school in your chosen region for 12 months
- Minimal Commitment – take part in catch-ups virtually or in-person, as often as works for you; all we ask is that you meet at least once a semester over the 12 month period.
- Check In – our coordinator, Fiona, will check in with you both to see how you’re getting on and if there’s anything else we can help with
- Reflect – at the end of the 12 months, we’ll ask you to complete an evaluation of your experience
You might want to invite your teacher on site visits to your workplace, allowing them to observe your team(s) and provide an insight into the type of projects you’re engaged in.
Maybe present to students about subjects that interest them, showing that tech is an option and one they should be excited to take.
It’s an opportunity for you to share current working practices, help to shape curriculum and teaching methods and give our young people an insight into the wealth of career opportunities available in technology.
What problem does it solve?
We know a large part of the reason the skills gap in our industry exists is because of the drop of rates throughout school of children and young people taking Computing Science subjects or having the opportunity to.
With the pace of technology the way it is, knowledge and curriculum can become outdated quickly, and teachers don’t receive the training to stay apprised of the developments in the tech sector or the skills needed for roles.
Likewise, young people in schools are not aware of the vast range of job opportunities within our industry that are available to them – and not just for stereotypically techie or mathematical people but also those that are creative, visionary and enjoy problem-solving.
This is what we need to change.
How can I get involved?
We are seeking mentors from industry that are passionate about giving back, and educating young people on the pathways into tech.
We will try and match you with a school close to you, however if you know of a school in your area (for example, your child attends) that you have links with and would like to match with, do let us know. It is important that this opportunity is not limited to schools in big cities.
If you’re interested in taking part, please contact Fiona Thomson on 01506 472200 or fiona.thomson@scotlandis.com.
It doesn’t matter what your role is; we are looking for volunteers from junior software developers to CTO’s, and tech experts from across all digital professions! If you are passionate about making a difference, you’re the right person for the job.
Partnership with STEM Ambassadors and Tech She Can
We recently partnered with STEM Ambassadors and Tech She Can to improve collaboration between our own programmes and better tackle the digital skills gap in Scotland.
Through this collaboration, our new Digital Critical Friends will become STEM Ambassadors, making it much easier to obtain PVG accreditation. They will also have access to Tech She Can’s ‘Tech We Can’ educational resources, allowing them to increase the support they give to teachers in delivering tech-related lessons and inspiring pupils to consider careers in STEM.
Find out more about our partnership here.