Digital Jersey attracts 39 highly-skilled recruits to Island

Friday 30 June 2017

39 highly-paid professionals have joined the Island’s digital industry from abroad since mid-2016, it has been revealed.

Digital Jersey – the government-funded body to promote new technology in Jersey – says that it has been working with the Population Office to help bring in foreign recruits with industry-specific skills that can’t be found locally.

In a blog, organisation boss Tony Moretta, wrote: “Last year we committed ourselves to listen to industry’s concerns and to overcome barriers – such as getting work Licences or Visas to bring in off-island expertise, when it can’t be found locally. I’m very happy to say we’re starting to see results; we’ve worked with the Population Office since mid-2016 to endorse 39 new high paying jobs.”

According to Mr Moretta, those well-salaried roles are apparently even higher than the finance industry average salary – around £64,000 including bonuses.

This means that an additional £365,000 can be collected in taxes – about 36% of the amount of funding the body received from the States this year (£1,000,000). Normally DJ receives £825,000. 

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— Digital Jersey (@DigitalJersey) June 29, 2017

But the value, Mr Moretta explained, will extend beyond the financial: those individuals are expected to, “…build new teams and train local workers”, with a potential 58 new local jobs expected to be created.

Moving forward, Digital Jersey say they will continue on its path to promoting the values of technology and coding to schools, working on 'fintech' alongside Jersey Finance and Digital Health with its new Health and Care technology group, as well as liaising with a number of international experts from Estonia and further afield.

They will also be focusing on the upcoming challenges of Brexit, as well as looking to address island-wide skills shortages and 'eGov', the initiative to get more government services online, which was this week the subject of strong criticism from the Public Accounts Committee.