Former Cisco Scotland director appointed as chair of Skills Development Scotland digital skills group

Donald McLaughlin - Image credit: Skills Development Scotland

A former Cisco Scotland director has been appointed as chair of Skills Development Scotland’s Digital Technologies Skills Group. 

Donald McLaughlin will lead the group, which is responsible for advising on the Digital Technologies Skills Investment Plan actions and resources to help Scotland to reach its potential in digital technologies.

McLaughlin has been a member of the Digital Technologies Skills Group board for more than a year and has nearly 30 years’ experience in the technology sector, as well as having been a member of other boards relating to skills and technology.

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Digital technology is one of Scotland’s fastest-growing sectors and is forecast to grow twice as fast as the Scottish economy overall by 2024.  

A key priority for the group is to reinforce the need for digital skills not just in the tech sector but also in the wider Scottish economy.

Claire Gillespie, sector skills manager for digital technologies skills at Skills Development Scotland, said: “Donald McLaughlin is a passionate advocate for digital skills and is ideally placed to carry on the great work of the digital technology skills group as chair. 

“Scotland has up to 12,800 tech job opportunities annually and through the work of the group and the digital skills funding provided by the Scottish Government, we are confident that Scotland’s potential in the digital technology economy will flourish in the years to come.”

Commenting on his appointment, Mclaughlin said: “We are in the midst of what is being called the fourth industrial revolution. 

“We need to make sure every level of society is included and equipped with the relevant digital skills to thrive in a world which is changing at an unprecedented rate.  

“From school children learning to code, to older people having access to the internet, digital inclusion is important and vital to Scotland’s economy.”