Festival of the Future: STEAM display from Bovington Academy students shows Dorset is a hub for digital business

Dorset’s future as a place to do digital business will be showcased when local companies and industry leaders come to the Festival of the Future.

They will be speaking at the Dorset Innovation Park in Winfrith on Wednesday 12 October, when the festival highlights the career opportunities in the digital sector.

The event will highlight how many different roles there are and local companies will share what they do and the type of jobs they offer.

Students from Bovington Academy will also be taking part in a STEAM (science, technology, engineering and maths) challenge that will use Virtual Reality to make storytelling come to life.

Dorset LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) will talk about the skills needed to ensure the local workforce is equipped for a digital future.

There will also be demonstrations involving robots and drones and the CEO of TechUK will highlight how emerging technology can boost businesses.

Dorset Council’s deputy leader, Cllr Peter Wharf, said: “We are going to be talking about the different skills and careers available in digital and busting the myth that it’s all about coding.

“Soft skills like excellent customer service and being creative are needed in this industry as well as technical knowledge.

“We’ll be exploring how the workforce’s changing needs could support economic growth here in Dorset, how innovation is needed in the sector and the support available to businesses nationally and locally.

“By coming along to this free event, you will meet new people and hear from local companies leading on innovation and cutting-edge technology.”

Everyone is welcome to attend the event, held at the BattleLab at Dorset Innovation Park, from 10.30am to 12.30pm on 12 October. To book your tickets to attend in person or watch online go to www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/festival-of-the-future-2022