The ongoing digital skills gap crisis has called for various institutions and digital leaders to play a part in the narrowing the gap. Whist business leaders discuss the possible solutions to ensuring their workforces are well equipped to, the social media industry is taking this into account, and utilising their platforms to give people the chance begin a career in the industry.
TikTok have launched a scheme to tackle not only the digital skills gap, but also youth unemployment. The project which sees investment of millions of pounds, aims to help 2,500 people by the end of 2024. The popular social media platform is working with business Charity, Catch22 to achieve this goal.
This initiative will benefit those from the ages of 16-24, who the scheme is being targeted at. One of the major benefits participants can expect is a career coach, mental health support and a virtual workplace.
TikTok is known for the tools it provides it’s users to be creative and tell their on stories. TikTok’s UK General Manager, Rich Waterworth, believes creativity “needs to be encouraged, nurtured and given space.”
"At TikTok our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy” he added.
“Thousands of younger people don’t have the opportunity or skills to be creative and there is inequality of access to creative and cultural resources.
We want to change that. We are thrilled to be partnering with Catch22 to bridge the gap between young people and the creative industries – to truly enable creativity for all.”
Should TikTok’s initiative be successful, this could open the door for other social media platforms to follow suit and join in the bid to close the digital skills gap.