Digital Jersey Reveals Priorities For 2024

Helping companies grow, testing new technologies, adopting digital solutions to local challenges and upskilling the workforce are among Digital Jersey's top priorities for the next 12 months.

The tech industry body already runs bootcamps for entrepreneurs and skills courses for the island's workforce.

It also overseas the Impact Jersey funding for innovative projects that solve problems.

£20 million pounds of public money was earmarked for the scheme, allowing locally-based firms and individuals to apply for grants of up to £75,000.

So far, the government funding has been used for five projects, including flood detection sensors and testing drones for the emergency services.

CEO Tony Moretta has teased a sixth project.

"It's really (about) getting Jersey up the technology adoption curve, whether that's in health, tourism, or financial services.

Some of it will be innovation in Jersey, but some of it will be taking tried and tested technology solutions that have worked elsewhere and bringing them to Jersey for the first time - providing the funding to build a localised solution that solves the problem here.

What you are going to see announced in the coming weeks and months is a number of bigger challenges, funding for bigger projects - whether that is focused on health and care or whether that focused on the economy, so watch this space."

Digital Jersey has been looking at ways to improve skills in schools and across workplaces.

It has just announced the 'F1 in School' programme is coming to the island, promoting STEM learning by getting students to design a miniature Formula One car.

It is also looking at what it can add to its government-subsidised 'Skills Credit Scheme' which are courses delivered by the Digital Jersey Academy that are already being used by public and private sector employers to upskill their staff.

Topics include Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation and Excel Data Analysis.

Mr Moretta also discusses how the island should adapt to the ever growing developments of AI.

"People talk about the impact of AI on reducing parts of jobs, but actually the important thing is to teach people to use AI productively.

They will become a lot more productive using those tools, contributing to their company's success, their own success, earn higher salaries, pay more taxes which helps the whole economy.

It is not just about investing in technologies you also have to invest in the training of people to use that technology."