Ada - National College for Digital Skills and Impetus

The need: Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are 50% more likely to be not in education, employment, or training (NEET) than their better off peers, even with the same qualifications. While the digital industry is growing, there is limited diversity, and many young people feel they don’t have the skills they need to work in the tech sector.

Our portfolio partner: Ada is empowering the next generation of diverse digital talent by delivering high-quality apprenticeships and running a high-performing sixth form college, all focused on advanced digital skills. They aim to widen access to tech careers for young people from diverse backgrounds.

Our impact: Ada is the top performing institution in the country for the Computer Science BTEC, with their students attaining one grade higher than the national median. Our work with Ada focuses on supporting them to grow their sixth form and apprenticeship provision, while retaining their focus on learners from disadvantaged backgrounds and building an understanding of their long-term impact.