The town's first inclusive digital IT skills community is launched

Swindon Connect, the town’s first inclusive digital IT skills community, launches with the
support of local education, government, recruiters and local businesses. The mission of
Swindon Connect is to connect like-minded people, from all walks of life, to make lasting
and meaningful connections through online engagement and facilitated monthly meetups on
industry hot topics.

Founded in November 2019, by two Swindon residents, Hayley Daviss and Jemma Davis, possessing an appetite for knowledge sharing and networking they were unable to find within the town.

Swindon Connect provides Swindon-based individuals with an industry knowledge-sharing platform and facilitates mentoring of those wishing to enter the industry or expand their knowledge, through meaningful network connections.

To date, Swindon Connect has facilitated the connection of 6 industry professionals with local educators, in which mentoring of young people and classroom talks featuring a day in the life of a cybersecurity person shapes the futures of Swindon’s rising stars.

Swindon Connect will hold its launch event in the form of an information security meetup, with guests including Swindon based professionals, educators, apprentices, local government and students. The launch event is hosted by and held at New College on 21 January 2020, 7 – 9.45 pm.

The evening will feature talks from James Dell, Lead Technical Architect, Planet IT and Stuart Peck, Director of Cyber Security Strategy, ZeroDayLab and is sure to put Swindon on the map for the incredible levels of talent and knowledge bread here.

Swindon Connect aims to build a network of connected individuals who support the skills gap closure by involving rising future stars, as well as recruiters. With this goal in mind, Swindon Connect fulfils the full circle need in Swindon.

“We aim to support local young people and educational establishments in building lasting connections to work towards reducing the skills gap. Through these introductions, we hope to increase the work experience and apprenticeship opportunities in Swindon,” said Hayley Daviss, Co-founder and Director of Swindon Connect. “Our facilitated meetups will deliver industry knowledge to those with an appetite to receive it, regardless of age, position or

agenda.”

"To deliver our mission of building an inclusive community in Swindon, we'll provide an online and offline place to meet and make lasting connections," says Jemma Davis, Co-founder and Director of Swindon Connect. "It's important that we share industry knowledge with each other and our rising stars. We'll showcase the great opportunities Swindon has to offer, as well as the great talent coming through our education system. By facilitating these connections, we hope the introductions will lead to a wider community of employers, talent and experts, all doing the best for Swindon and the businesses we host here."

Join the community at https://www.swindonconnect.co.uk/