Ada, The National College for Digital Skills and King

Client: Ada, The National College for Digital Skills

The partnership between Ada, the National College for Digital Skills, and King exemplifies a shared commitment to social mobility and inclusion. Since 2015, King has invested over £1m to empower more than 1,300 young people from underrepresented backgrounds, dismantling barriers to digital careers. Currently, just 21% of the tech workforce are women, and 9% are from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, compared to 33% of the population - we aim to change that.

In the past year alone, as a direct result of King’s support, Ada reached 95 schools, hosted 101 outreach events, and drove a 40% enrollment increase, with 33% of applicants identifying as female or non-binary.

Beyond funding, King provides hands-on learning experiences. In 2024, students collaborated with King employees to create a digital board game, gaining skills in project management, public speaking, and game development. 53 King volunteers dedicated 191 hours to mentoring, UCAS guidance, guest lectures, and career coaching, offering critical insights to support Ada students' professional growth.

Events like DigiFest, funded by King, boost awareness of tech careers, particularly for female students. Together, Ada and King are creating a model for inclusive, industry-aligned education, making tech careers accessible and cultivating a generation of skilled, diverse tech talent.