TechConnect is a 12-week digital skills programme launched by Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Fast Stream and techUK.
Participants work in blended teams that mix civil servants with people working in the private sector, to solve public sector challenges, with the aim of delivering innovative solutions that can improve public services.
The programme offers second and third-year DDaT Fast Streamers and early career professionals from the tech industry a chance to work closely with a wide range of technology companies, all members of techUK’s Public Service Board. This is an opportunity for DDaT Fast Streamers to gain industry exposure and for early career professionals from the private sector to get insight into some of government’s biggest technology challenges.
At the end of the programme, teams pitched their solutions to a panel of judges. The judges chose the “CSI London” team as the winners, who came up with a solution to simplify and streamline the 101 emergency call process.
The solution was to create a unified national platform for people to contact the police no matter where in the UK they are. This allows users to easily choose their preferred channel whilst also providing much better data reliability and flexibility for the police stations supporting the service.
The prize for the winning team was to present at the No.10 Innovation Fellowship board meeting; this is where the No.10 Innovation board get together to discuss progress on the programme and share advice.
The No.10 Innovation Fellowship Programme was announced as part of the National Data Strategy and applications for the programme launched yesterday The board consists of senior leaders across government and the private sector, and ishelping to build a world-leading fellowship programme.
Here’s what Maxwell Riess, a member of the winning team, had to say about the prize: “Attending and presenting to the No.10 Innovation Fellowship board was a phenomenal opportunity. It's great to see the commitment to public sector innovation and the feedback we received on our TechConnect proposal was really encouraging.”
Penny Williams, Deputy Chair of techUK's Public Sector Board and CDW Director, Public Sector added, “TechConnect has proved a great success in helping DDaT Fast Streamers and early career professionals in the leading tech firms to develop and apply collaborative problem-solving skills to a specific public service challenge; it has also helped individuals to begin building insights, contacts and networks that can only help their careers ahead.”
If you are a Civil Servant working in DDaT and are interested in getting involved, or have a challenge that you wish to put forward for the next TechConnect, please get in touch by emailing us.
