The Government and IT industry association techUK have launched a new programme to encourage collaborative working between young professionals in the Civil Service and the technology sector.
Named Tech Connect, it is a 12-week programme that begins today and was developed by techUK’s Public Services Board (PSB) and the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Fast Stream of the Civil Service and sponsored by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
It will bring together about 20 third year DDaT fast streamers and 20 young tech professionals from a range of companies on the PSB, enabling the two groups to get insights into each other’s challenges. The Government has asked departments to nominate third year fast streamers and the participating PSB members have each nominated two of their younger professionals to take part.
They will visit each company on the PSB to learn about technology developments and approaches to client collaboration, and divide into six teams, each of which will identify a public sector technology, operational or policy problem for which they will attempt to devise a solution.
Two mentors
Each team will be mentored by an industry representative and a civil servant, and at the end of the programme will present their solutions to senior leaders from government and industry for feedback.
HMRC’s chief digital and information officer Jacky Wright (pictured) said: “Participants will learn what effective collaboration between government and industry looks like, and how leveraging the skills of the public and private sector can produce outcomes of lasting value for the government.
“I am very excited about the launch of this programme, which will allow early career colleagues in both private and public sector to learn from each other, work together in innovative ways, and develop supportive networks and ongoing relationships.
“By working in true partnership rather than competition, and supporting greater collaboration, we can encourage innovative, solution focused thinking among the Civil Service’s future leaders and create the digital organisation that we need for the future.”
Bridge
Julian David, chief executive officer of techUK, commented: “This initiative provides a much needed bridge between industry innovation and Government. Creating a collaborative partnership in the early stages of a professional career will greatly improve our public services delivery and the experiences we all have as citizens.”
The scheme follows a pilot that IBM ran with the Government in 2016.
Image from GOV.UK, Open Government Licence v3.0
