Training and developing “digital natives” should be at the heart of UK business

The purpose of this paper is to outline the importance of placing digital savvy employees at the heart of your organization.

This is a viewpoint paper.

Unemployment figures have been at an all‐time high. Recent figures show job seekers in the Eurozone have reached an appalling 12.1 per cent, equating to 19.2 million people out of work. Of course,the real victims of this are the young, with their limited experience and lack of access to professional networks. In this woeful picture, the youth are taking a disproportionate hit. In the UK alone, the Office of National Statistics (November 2012) puts youth unemployment at a 17 year high of 2.62 million, meaning 21.9 per cent of under‐25 s are now out of work. The Prince's Trust Youth Index(2013) also found that one in four young people believe their future has been irrevocably damaged by the economic downturn. What depressing reading this makes.

This case study in the banking sector could be a model for those organizations considering a “higher apprenticeship” scheme.