PWC inks deal with digital school to tap into tech staff

• Tie-up aims to support growing need for tech skills • PWC will meet digital students to discuss job options

Edinburgh digital skills academy Codeclan has teamed up with PWC Scotland to help the accounting heavyweight meet increased demand for technology workers.

PWC has signed a partnership agreement with the tech training school that will see it engage with full-time students to discuss career opportunities before they graduate.

The firm anticipates the deal will help it meet the rising need for staff in areas such as coding, data analytics and cyber security, as PWC pushes forward with its technologyfocused strategy.

Codeclan, established in Edinburgh in 2015, aims to build a “diverse and innovative” digital industry for Scotland through its training courses, which range from single-day sessions to intensive 16-week programmes.

It has since opened a second facility in Glasgow, which it expanded earlier this year to accommodate the addition of a new data analysis course, and launched an Inverness campus in May to better serve the Highlands.

Codeclan chief executive Melinda Matthews-clarkson said: “While many people still see programming and data skills as confined to the ‘tech’ world, the reality is that every industry is now a digital industry.

“Every business needs to embrace digital transformation and realise that it requires an organisation-wide shift of culture and mindset.

“We’re delighted to welcome PWC on board as a Codeclan partner and we look forward to our graduates helping Scotland’s digital economy grow and thrive.”

The professional services firm is working with clients on projects covering drones, artificial intelligence and blockchain, as well as serving businesses in the cyber security, operational resilience and data sectors.

Scotland’s digital economy is worth £5.7 billion, with more than 10,000 businesses employing 83,000 people.

Claire Reid, regional leader for PWC in Scotland, said: “Technology is changing the way we live and work, and as digital services become a more essential aspect of Pwc’s business, it is crucial that we recruit workers with the requisite skills.

“And with many Codeclan graduates gaining those skills, there are tangible benefits to this partnership.

Tom Pulling, data and analytics leader for PWC in Scotland, added: “Harnessing data effectively in order to drive value is one of the most important elements for success in the digital world.”

• Meanwhile, fellow auditor KPMG has reported an increase in the number of apprentices and graduates joining its Scottish division.

The business has hired 80 young people across its bases in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, a rise from last year’s 70-strong intake.