At Manchester Digital, 我们喜欢采访我们的会员，以了解更多十大网博靠谱平台他们在大十大网博靠谱平台数字和技术领域所做的工作. This week we're speaking with Rich, a Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Please introduce yourself…
我有钱, a Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems at Manchester Metropolitan University, and the Programme Leader for the amazing BSc Business Technology degree programme, I’m a ‘pracademic’, with years of experience in technology project management, 我认为我对弥合高等教育和数字行业需求之间的差距有一个平衡的观点. I specialise in knowledge transfer that supports innovation within digital businesses, so I really am pleased that we have partnered with Manchester Digital.
你认为对于进入十大网博靠谱平台数字和科技行业的毕业生来说，哪些具体的技术技能最有价值?
Some of the most valuable technical skills for graduates entering the scene include data analytics, understanding cloud computing, AI/machine learning concepts, development skills, 用户体验设计, project management, and skills related to emerging technologies like IoT, 区块链, 和XR. Pairing these with business, 创造力, 敏捷性, and strong communication abilities is key and that seems to me to be the challenge. I also think that t在这里 is a clear and growing importance in relation to cybersecurity skills. With more and more business being conducted digitally, and with the cost and frequency of data breaches, 每个人似乎都在寻找了解安全原则并能帮助保护其数字资产的毕业生.
另一个我认为越来越有价值的技能领域是我所说的“数字伦理”——驾驭新兴技术带来的复杂道德和社会影响的能力. We have issues like data privacy, algorithmic bias, and impact of automation on jobs, 因此，企业确实需要能够批判性地思考这些挑战，并在这些挑战出现时帮助发展道德技术实践的毕业生.
How do you see the role of diversity and inclusion impacting the success of digital businesses in Manchester?
我认为，多样性和包容性对十大网博靠谱平台数字业务的成功至关重要，因为它提供了更广泛的视角, leading to more innovation and better problem-solving. And at the same time t在这里 are lots of opportunities in Manchester for the right people, so attracting talent from all backgrounds creates a significantly larger talent pool. The challenges facing digital businesses are complex now as they are often new, so successfully tackling them requires teams that can draw upon a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and ways of thinking, and these teams are also much better at anticipating and meeting the needs of diverse customer bases. As the areas’ population continues to grow and change, reflecting that diversity within our businesses will be a key competitive advantage, 此外，我认为数字产品和服务的消费者越来越期望并奖励展现包容性价值观的公司.
当然, building truly diverse and inclusive organisations requires more than just hiring diverse talent. 这意味着毕业生输送渠道需要平等——所以在我的项目中，我们确实受益于非常多样化, and that means that we benefit from a truly multi-cultural experience. 也就是说, sometimes in the Degree Apprenticeship pathways it is less diverse, and this is driven by employers and who they offer degree apprenticeships to, 因此，随着职业资格的增加及其受欢迎程度的提高，我们也需要鼓励雇主审视他们的招聘方法. This means cultivating a culture w在这里 everyone feels valued, 支持, and empowered to contribute their best work from pre-recruitment, and commitment from leadership, ongoing training and education that should be of clear alignment in these vocational programmes. Organisations themselves will also need a willingness to challenge their status quos to get this right.
What strategies or initiatives can employers implement to attract and retain top talent in the digital sector?
I think to attract the best digital talent, employers should focus on building progressive, purpose-driven cultures that people can conceptualise from outside of them being in that context. 我认为，在招聘阶段，让人们了解公司内部令人兴奋的项目的范围是很有价值的, as people want to work for organisations with a fulfilling brief. Knowing about the technologies you’ll work with helps too. If you have this clearer vision in mind of what it will be like, retention will come down to minimising differences in expectations, delivering on promises and making sure employees feel challenged, 支持, 和重视.
What I find interesting is that demand for digital skills is at an all-time high, and businesses need to be prepared to pay for top talent. So they also be realistic about what it will cost a graduate with talent to join and stay, and know that compensation for some of our university leavers, starting careers in the Tech sector, I think money is only part of the equation, 他们希望在他们的薪酬中看到持续学习和发展的机会——我认为，实际上，有一个很好的理由，即战略性地提供更多的研究生学徒机会来支持这一点, as we rarely see traditional route degrees to apprenticeship conversion, 尽管这是一种明确的留住员工的方式，因为他们在工作范围内，而且这是一项导致硕士学位的教育计划，也是该过程的一部分. This is so important the tech sector, w在这里 the pace of change is so rapid, and employees want to know that they'll have the chance to keep their skills fresh and advance their careers, and such opportunities show real commitment to retention, and potentially a route to diversifying post-Grad apprenticeship cohorts further. 最后, 近年来，在支持毕业生就业的过程中，我发现，他们希望看到一个令人信服的使命和愿景——他们真的希望为那些对世界产生积极影响的组织工作, that can articulate a clear purpose and demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility.
In your opinion, what emerging technologies or trends should Manchester-based employers keep an eye on?
This is a hard question as things are constantly shifting. I think obviously AI is becoming more ubiquitous, we have edge computing, 物联网正在大规模扩张，在这个领域有很多低成本的方法来开发产品和服务, XR is going mainstream, and I think smaller businesses can start to harness immersion. At the same time because these technologies are emerging and growing in use, t在这里 really has to be a bigger focus on cybersecurity as more business is done digitally. This is w在这里 I think we’ll see 区块链 finding a lot more practical business application. T在这里’s also a push in policy and support for cleaner tech and green tech solutions. At the same time are we teaching the right skills? I think we’re sometimes teaching people technical languages, 但我们也需要开始在所有低代码和无代码平台上提升人们的技能，因为现在的业务可以在不需要开发人员的情况下做更多的事情, so at an early stage you can have access to technologies to help your business scale.
I’ll just add a few more technologies to my watch list:
• Quantum computing is about to happen, and I think we will soon be solving problems that were beyond classical computers, 我相信，这将彻底改变我们地区许多企业感兴趣的领域——我将关注需要金融和预测建模的行业, or even things like logistics optimisation, 在大学里，我们已经和企业合作了几个项目，我认为当这项技术完全实现时，将能够真正扰乱市场.
• 建立在区块链技术上的去中心化网络可以改变我们在线互动的方式，并让用户更好地控制他们的数据——这将严重破坏信任、道德以及消费者对数字产品和服务的期望.
I think t在这里 will be lots of challenges to navigate, 但企业需要越来越积极地理解这些技术及其影响, including through onboarding graduates. At the same time t在这里 is a clear convergence now of technologies occurring, so AI combined with IoT, 区块链 with bioinformatics, XR with neurotechnology, 等等....... 我认为企业需要意识到，最具变革性的创新可能会出现在这些技术的交叉点上, 因此，他们需要跨越学科界限，以创造性的方式将技术结合起来，以扰乱新市场.
雇主如何与十大网博靠谱平台城市大学等教育机构合作，弥合学术界与行业需求之间的差距?
教育伙伴关系非常重要，在我的项目中，我自己和团队都非常专注于实现这些目标, working together to inform curriculum and program development based on real-world industry needs. 澳门十大正规赌博娱乐平台t research projects, 但更重要的是，我们经常可以使用客户问题和我们出色的学生将理论语境化，并为现实世界的问题提供答案. We have guest lectures from industry, and we’d love more Manchester Digital businesses to get involved. 另一种方式是企业为学生提供项目或支持创新竞赛——十大网博靠谱平台数字公司能否为我们的学生提供解决实际商业挑战的实践经验, gain some contacts, recommendations of LinkedIn, but at the same time be enabled to identify talent early? Get in touch with me to discuss because these are things we can do! 我们有出色的学生实习和咨询项目，所以你可以让学生在你的组织中短期实习, or even a gap year and it’s a great way to onboard and retain graduates when they finish their degrees, as many will work part-time for their hosts in the third year and join full-time after graduation.
Another area I think that is hard to get right is professional development for faculty, 我相信我们未来有机会发展具有明确研究成果的行业休假，并有能力讲述作为研究伙伴的组织的故事. 最终, I think the goal should be to create a cycle w在这里 industry informs academia, academia trains industry-ready talent, and that talent drives innovation and growth in industry, which then feeds back into academic research. 当然, none of this ever happen automatically. It will require relationships and a willingness to experiment and adapt, and this is why the partnership with yourselves, and your members can make a real difference, enabling synergies and driving collaborations.
Thank you Rich!
Learn more about Manchester Metropolitan University 在这里.
