GLOUCESTERSHIRE County Council (GCC) will launch a new programme of digital boot camps across the county, starting Monday, September 2. 

GCC says the programme will give young people the chance to dive into the world of digital creative careers and get inspired by industry experts.

The programme is specifically designed for young people not in education, employment or training and will run alongside the school term. 

It aims to provide hands-on experience and opportunities to learn new skills, make connections and ultimately kickstart a new career. 

Cllr Dave Norman (con), cabinet member for libraries at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “It’s great to see this project coming to life reaching out to younger people to help them to develop their tech skills to support them in their future jobs and careers. I look forward to seeing the ideas they come up with and where these sessions take them.”

The programme will involve working with businesses like SAND Visuals, Phoenix Consultants and others who will support participants to get real experience of work in the industry.

It is part of Gloucestershire Libraries National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) status, funded by the Arts Council for three years.

There will also be the chance for those who take part to showcase their work in an exhibition and see what others are creating.

Finished projects will be entered into a competition, and top creators will win prizes with work experience opportunities. Everyone who completes the programme will receive a £20 Amazon gift voucher and a certificate to recognise their work.

The programmes run from September 2 to October 18. One programme, called Stop-motion-animation will be delivered by SAND Visuals in Gloucester Lab, where participants will learn the basics of stop-motion-animation and editing using smartphones and Lab technology.

The second is WordPress web design in Stroud Lab, where participants will learn the basics of building an e-commerce website in WordPress. 

In the meantime, there are drop-in sessions available in Stroud Library on Thursday, August 15 from 10am and Gloucester Library on Thursday, August 22 from 10am.

More details can be found on the Gloucestershire Libraries website or call the library service of GCC on 01452 426973.