The Fearless Academy bags £500k in funding to close the digital skills gap

The digital skill gaps continue to grow across all industries as the world enters the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The skill gap is even more profound in advanced nations where mostly every industry relies on technology. According to estimates, at least 85 million jobs will go unfilled globally by 2030 due to skills shortages, resulting in about $8.5 trillion in unrealized annual revenues.

According to Salesforce Digital Skills Index, an astounding three in four workers don’t have the digital skills needed by businesses, and only 28% are participating in training programs today. That’s why companies and organizations around the world are taking measures to provide digital training, especially to people in the local areas.

One of these organizations is The Fearless Academy, a Greater Manchester, England-based organization that coaches and develops anyone looking to retrain or upskill in all things digital, creating industry-leading talent through our dedicated academy delivered by the industry for the industry.

Today, The Fearless Academy announced it has received £500k funding from The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to close the digital skills gap in the local area. The award is part of the Skills Bootcamps program. The funding has been provided by the Department of Education’s National Skills Fund.

The Fearless Academy will deliver free industry-led digital marketing training to help individuals over the age of 19 gain vital digital skills. Alongside this, the academy’s dedicated talent team will support learners upon completion of the 12-week Skills Bootcamp, leveraging their extensive founder network and providing accessible routes into employment.

The industry-led curriculum will be delivered by digital marketing experts from the parent brand Fearless Adventures. Its tutors will be sharing their knowledge and expertise across a plethora of digital specialisms, including Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC), social media, graphic design, and web development. The tutors are all experienced professionals that have supported a diverse range of high-growth global brands, including The Hut Group, Co-op, Unilever, Aldi, Logitech, and Superdry.

This program is part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee and Plan for Jobs initiatives, designed to help people onto the career ladder, transition back into work, or access progression opportunities while also helping employers meet skills needs. Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with an employer.

Dominic McGregor, The Fearless Academy co-founder, said: “The Fearless Academy is creating something entirely bespoke for every individual – from specialist training to the job they will secure. We have an array of relationships within the industry, so we’re constantly getting feedback on the missing expertise and developing passionate individuals to fill this very real digital skills gap.”

Rachel McDonald, The Fearless Academy Managing Director, said: “The Fearless Academy will change the lives of many. We’re excited to upskill and introduce ambitious talent to an industry full of amazing career opportunities. If we can do this while supporting a sector integral to business growth across Greater Manchester, we will have achieved our vision.”

Amy Wild, The Fearless Academy Director, said: “The Fearless Academy is an industry-led project that perfectly aligns with my own beliefs. It gives me a great sense of pride to help shape this exciting new venture from the ground up, and I’m excited to enhance the career opportunities for emerging talent in the north.”