The Digital Future is bright

The Digital Future is bright

Back in April 2016, I wrote on my blog:

The new CEO of Digital Jersey spoke to the Chamber of Commerce at their monthly lunch yesterday, and, having listed to him, I’m more optimistic about Jersey and the digital economy that I was a few months ago.

Tony Moretta was speaking on “Why we need a digital Jersey?” at the Radisson hotel. He found that there is no shortage of ideas, good innovative, creative thinking about IT, but the challenge was in the “follow through”. The ideas were there, but Jersey was slow to embrace change, and often the implementation just did not happen.

Digital Jersey was not just about the organisation of that name, but also about improving matters across the whole island .

Last night I attended the official opening of the new Digital Hub and official launch of the Digital Academy, and it was amazing to see the progress made, and how the implementation was happening.

The hub itself has been extensively revamped from a rather old tired building that looked as if it had been converted from a 1960s office block into a modern, state of the art building.

Tony Moretta, CEO of Digital Jersey, began with a brief talk, accompanied by slides on a pull down screen, and these notes which follow are taken from that presentation.

Any mistakes in transcription from my notes are due solely to me 

There are now six meeting rooms named after “tech titans”, digital pioneers who’ve blazed a trail and shaped all our lives thanks to their genius.

These can be booked online via the Digital Jersey team or via the digital panels on the door, which tell you if the room is busy, and for how long, and at what days and times. The rooms have been named after important figures in the history of computing, so it comes as no great surprise to learn that one has been named after the great Alan Turing. Bill Gates, not surprisingly has a room named after him, as does Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web. 

Three of the other meeting rooms are named after women – Margaret Hamilton who worked at NASA in the Apollo programme, and can be considered to have been one of the first people to use the term “software engineer” to describe her work, and Hedy Lamarr, probably best known to the public as an actress, and yet who was also an innovative inventor who received the Electronic Frontier Foundation Pioneer Award and was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. And there is also a room named after Professor Dame Wendy Hall, who is a leading figure in the UK today on the development of AI technologies, including on the discussions around AI and ethics.

From 12 desks, which increased to 26 desks, there are now 70 permanent desks (for start-ups), as well as more "hot desk space", so the hub is also well equipped as a place for local start-up business to begin as they start to develop ideas.

The Digital Skills Strategy encompasses a Digital Skills Partnership, linking schools with finance and with Highlands, and is developing skills from Jersey youngsters now and for the future.

Only 18 months ago this structure was being set up, but now it is ready to take off, thanks to funding from the government. This is important because it addresses skills shortages, and a developing digital industry for Jersey’s future. 

Rory Steel has taken on the mantle of Head of Digital Jersey Academy. He is a passionate advocator of tech in education, a Google Certified Trainer and Innovator, and an Apple Distinguished Educator that runs the only Channel Island Apple Regional Training Centre. With a background in maths teaching and IT curriculum, he is well placed to take the lead. 

Many companies have been supportive of the Digital Jersey Project, and also Tony Moretta thanked the politicians who gave stalwart support before and after the election, and secured the necessary funding for Digital Jersey’s future.

Lastly he gave thanks to the Chairman, Frank Walker, who regretted not being able to attend, but who had been extremely supportive of Digital Jersey. 

Senator Lyndon Farnham, who spoke next, said that Digital Jersey was so important to the future of the Island, and not just the economy but also improving the lives of ordinary people.

Funding had been obtained - a significant increase - so that the new Digital Academy could go ahead and there would be benefits in schools, business skills, AI, and all kinds of opportunities. In this respect, 5G was to be embraced, as it puts Jersey on the map, and Digital Jersey can harness that technology in its development of home grown talent on Island.