Westminster City Council has opened a new digital academy designed to tackle digital exclusion.

The academy will have a number of tech partners, including Microsoft, O2, and Google, as well as a range of programmes for residents and businesses, with the aim of improving access to groups underrepresented in tech careers.

The academy is part of the council’s wider Smart City programme and will be offered to anyone who lives or works in the city.

For younger people, Westminster will be hiring 9 candidates from diverse backgrounds as part of the Tech Lions Talent Programme. They will be given the opportunity to work within the Council in tech roles and spend time at leading tech companies.

“Today’s launch of the Digital Academy gives our community opportunities to come together, inspire each other and to learn the digital skills they need to seize every opportunity the city has to offer,” said councillor Paul Swaddle, cabinet member for finance and smart city at Westminster City Council. “It’s a big step towards making sure that nobody feels excluded from the digital world we live in.

“This is just the start of a long-term initiative to make Westminster a world-leading Smart City and we hope that we can bring everyone along on this journey to learn together and create a more empowered community in the process.”

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