• Google Digital Garage is coming to Lewisham, Deptford to provide a day of free digital skills workshops and mentoring to help local people and small businesses upskill and grow in an increasingly digital world.
• Vicky Foxcroft MP to visit Google Digital Garage digital skills training programme for local businesses & job seekers on Friday 3^rd March.
• Launched in 2015, Google’s Digital Garage programme has trained over 800,000 people, in more than 500 cities, towns and villages across the UK.
• Anyone looking to learn new digital skills in Lewisham, Deptford can sign up to the tailored training programmes here.

Residents and business owners based in Lewisham, Deptford – are invited to join Google and Vicky Foxcroft MP for a day of free workshops and mentoring sessions on Friday 3^rd March and can register online here. Workshop topics will include:

• Writing For Social Media
• Reach New Audiences with Youtube
• Use social media stories to grow your online reach
• Get started with digital advertising
• Engage customers with newsletters

These training sessions have been curated after research found that both businesses and job seekers would benefit from digital skills training, as just 4% of small businesses feel that they’re meeting their full potential on digital strategy, and only 3% feel this for online sales and upskilling staff.

Government figures highlight the country’s digital skills shortage, and show that almost a third (30)% of vacancies are due to the struggle to recruit people with basic digital skills. [1]

On Friday 3^rd March at St Johns Church, Deptford Google will be running varied sessions all day, from 45 minute in depth training to 15 minute power sessions, alongside interactive networking opportunities.

Attendees from small businesses located in Lewisham, Deptford can also benefit from private mentoring sessions with Google’s Digital Coaches, who are experts in their field, to focus on personal goals for their business growth.

This event has been organized in partnership with local MP Vicky Foxcroft who will attend the event to learn more about how enhancing digital skills can help small businesses to grow, careers to flourish, and ensure everyone is able to make the most of the country’s growing digital economy.

Google continues to help support small businesses and job seekers improve their digital skills and this is one of 30 in-person digital skills training events taking place across the country in 2023 to help drive growth across the UK.

Vicky Foxcroft, Member of Parliament for Lewisham, Deptford, commented: 

“I’m delighted to welcome Google to Lewisham, Deptford, to host a Google Digital Garage event on Friday 3^rd March. I am looking forward to meeting as many local businesses and residents as possible to find out more about how digital skills can benefit my constituency, and our businesses, entrepreneurs, and residents”.

Alice Mansergh, Managing Director of Google Customer Solutions, UK & Ireland: “At Google, we’re passionate about equipping people in every corner of the country with the skills needed to help them make the most of the opportunities created by the UK’s digital economy.  The labour market is crying out for talented individuals across a number of experience levels and our aim with our digital skills campaigns is to give more people the opportunity to gain skills that can truly transform their careers and businesses.”