Google Opens Its Digital Skills Academy During London Tech Week

Google has opened the doors of its Digital Skills Academy, a 3,700 square metre building dedicated to educating people from school pupils to chief executives about cutting-edge technology.

Opened as part of London Tech Week, the academy, located on Buckingham Palace Road in Victoria, it aims to help people improve their digital skills, addressing the concerns that the UK has a worrying lack of people with appropriate tech skills.

Google Digital Skills Academy

“London’s ambition to grow, harness new technologies, and build the brightest and best companies has been a constant over the last decade,” said Ronan Harris, Google’s UK managing director.

“It’s fantastic to welcome London Tech Week to Google’s new Academy to discuss how we can ensure the next decade of growth for our capital city. With over 40,000 sqft of innovative educational space in central London The Academy has been created to educate and inspire everyone from schoolchildren to CEOs as part of Google’s plans to help build digital capability across the country.”

The centre is significant for two reasons; the first being it demonstrates Google’s commitment to aiding the development of digital skills in Britain, and the second being that it is an indication that Brexit and the triggering of Article 50, whereby the UK gives two years notice to leave the European Union, presents no hurdle for the search giant’s UK plans.

This is in stark contrast to other technology firms who fear Brexit will have an adverse effect on their business operations in the UK and Europe.

Google’s Digital Skill Academy could also be the panacea to replacing the digital skill Britain could loose after Brexit, given 70 percent of tech workers are reportedly considering leaving the UK once it leaves the European Union.

Time will tell what the true long-lasting effects of Brexit will be, but all signs so far point to Google having the confidence to weather the storm Brexit might brew.

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