Claire Arbery, director at West of England Institute of Technology, says one of the most interesting (and challenging) discussions I have had since we started on the journey to create the West of England Institute of Technology (WEIoT) has been the discussion between High Tech and Digital – and what do we actually mean when we talk about these.
The business press has been filled with the changes to digital over the last few months. We have all had to evolve our working practices to respond to the pandemic, whether moving to online meetings, and the number one phrase of 2020 ‘You are on mute’ being heard at least once a meeting, we have all adapted to different ways of working. For me – this is an example of digital, people using digital tools to be able to do their job more efficiently and effectively.
For me the tech industries focus on the use of data to drive business. The South West already has significant expertise in the area and will be the skills that will have the biggest impact on the future of the industries that work in the region. We have strong companies in the areas of data, cyber security, health-tech, fin-tech and agri-tech. Most of these sectors are supported by the employers in the West of England IoT and will be focussed on developing learning and supporting us to develop courses and curriculum to support the workforce to be future ready with these developing areas.
So, what does this mean for your business?
How much do you use your data you collect as part of your business processes to forecast, plan and look for trends? Do you know when your sales are lower? Are you able to respond to changes in customer demand, and understand why these changes might be happening? Are there any patterns in poor performance?
Data is now a valuable asset for businesses, and as they grow, businesses need to manage their data expansion. With an increased volume of data, companies can make more accurate and precise data-driven decisions. This enhances the business processes, product development, business insight, customer loyalty and more.
Many companies are now investing in data analysts to support their decision-making. One of the main skills employers are looking for are staff able to analyse and visualise data, ensuring that the organisation is making precise, informed decisions. Staff with these skills will be able to support your organisation in various areas, such as forecasting, product development and business relations by accessing real time unstructured data and turning it into actionable, smart data.
This is where WEIoT can help.
Emerging networks and systems are producing more and more unstructured data. With the ability and know how to analyse this data, your organisation will be able to make decisions based on your data. Our training will support your staff to be able to interrogate data to help you make informed decisions. Training with the IoT, with support from the Government through either a subsidy or levy, can support your business to develop these vital skills inhouse.
Along with our support for Data we also can support businesses with training for Apprentices in cyber security and IT support. Developing software and network engineers and infrastructure technicians can all be supported by WEIoT.
If you want to find out more, please give me a ring, or drop me an email.