Of course, training local people is our first priority, and that’s why we run very successful retraining and placement programmes such as the Digital Jersey Coding Programme and are working with the Education Department to make sure more opportunities to develop digital skills are available on the Island.
However, it takes time to build this capability, not least the recruitment of the people who will do the teaching, and will be a number of years before we see the fruits of such a plan in an emerging skilled workforce.
Unfortunately, we can’t tread water in the digital sector for that long, and if we don’t import skilled labour we will all suffer the consequences, which may include even more technology spend going off-Island, projects and companies failing and opportunities to create new jobs lost.
Over the past year Digital Jersey has been trusted by the Chief Minister’s Office and the Population Office to endorse work licences for around 40 new high-paying jobs for off-island technology expertise which despite searching could not be found in Jersey. And in turn, these people are already on course to recruit and train up more than 40 new positions for locals that wouldn’t otherwise exist.
This is not just about building a stronger digital sector in the economy, but about protecting our most successful existing industries. While our financial and professional services companies have done a fantastic job of adapting to changing markets and not only maintaining but growing employment levels, there is a real risk that technology will disrupt those businesses at an ever-increasing rate.
If we don’t embrace those technological changes quickly enough, through a digital skilled workforce here as well, then we will lose business to other jurisdictions which either innovate more quickly or at the very least become more efficient in their existing activities. It is worth remembering here also that the finance industry itself required quite a high level of skilled immigrants in its infancy to build and flourish, and in turn enable local talent to grow.
It’s also not just about protecting or growing existing companies but also the creation of new businesses. A large part of the growth of the digital sector around the world is driven by start-ups, but as a small country where most people are not potential tech entrepreneurs we will never generate a sufficient pipeline of homegrown ideas.
We therefore have to be open to, and even seek out, the importation of individuals and small businesses which may give us the next big thing right here in Jersey, with all the new roles that go with it. However, while such rewards go to the people who take the risks, we have to match them by trusting in the qualifications, skills, experience and ideas that they bring to Jersey and not just how much tax they will pay in their first year here.
Of course we still have to develop our own talent, and that’s again where we come in with facilities such as the Digital Jersey Hub, the centre for the Island’s tech community where kids, enthusiasts, small businesses and more come together to learn, work and grow.
Here we host around 100 events a year for all ages, together with courses on coding, digital marketing, app development and data analytics. We also held a Digital Careers event where hundreds of people came along to hear from technology employers about job opportunities for both school leavers and career changers.
That was such a huge demonstration of the interest that is already here for the next generation of roles, and I’m pleased to say those roles have been growing and will continue to grow. Between 2010 and 2015, Jersey’s digital sector grew from 2,072 professionals to 2,650, and we are targeting growth of a further 1,000 by 2025.
So of course we need to expand the range of technology education opportunities here on-Island, and we need to support those who want to study essential subjects off-Island and incentivise them to return, but we have to be open-minded and take risks on targeted immigration as well if we are to grow a strong digital sector and overall economy.
And please let’s not worry about recent headlines on the risk of Jersey becoming ‘another Hong Kong’. While their net population density is over 22,000 per square kilometre, Jersey’s is less than 900, so I think we can safely take a few more risks with our population policy, and in doing so, reap some of the rewards of having fresh, new skills in the Island. Intelligent, well-considered population growth that leads to new jobs and opportunities for future generations and protects our existing industries can and should be popular. We just need to change the script.
