Digital Peninsula Network is a key partner of the ESF Employer Led Skills (ELS) project running from 2020-2023. The project aims to address skills gaps across priority sectors in Cornwall including digital, construction, health and social care, agri-food, hospitality, manufacturing, marine and retail. The project’s cross-sector approach will facilitate the upskilling and reskilling of 3,090 individuals in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, helping to improve employability and progress people in the digital sector and other growing industries.

As part of the project, DPN’s role will be to deliver digital skills courses to local employers and employees, providing new training opportunities for 308 individuals. DPN will also help people gain qualifications in digital subjects at different levels to build-on their abilities. Digital skills courses currently include; website design, social media marketing, online image editing, email marketing and selling online with Shopify.

DPN’s contribution to the ELS project will create a strong supply of digitally skilled workers which will be paramount to supporting all sectors in Cornwall in the future. In addition through the project, we will ensure at least 55% of beneficiaries are women which will help to address the gender imbalance in the digital sector and encourage the career progression and earning potential of employed women in Cornwall.

The £2,700,000 project is part-funded by the European Social Fund and aims to support individuals across Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly through a collaborative partnership of nine organisations (Cornwall Marine Network – lead partner, Cornwall Council, Digital Peninsula Network, Software Cornwall, Truro & Penwith College, Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, The Cornwall College Group & Focus Training, and Dynamo Healthcare & Cornwall Adult Education).