ScotlandIS Data

Join our next ITMS Community event on 12th March in Aberdeen, which will be a ‘Lunch and Learn’ session, kindly hosted by IFB.

This event aims to bring together ITMSPs from the region to foster networking opportunities, and facilitate the sharing of challenges and best practices.

ScotlandIS Head of Cyber, Beverly Bowles, will kick off the afternoon with an update on the cluster and charter, and how Scotland’s IT Managed Service Provider community is taking shape.

We’ll then have a speaker from Police Scotland offering a policing/forensics perspective to what ITMS companies should be securing themselves against, including insights on response and recovery practices and breach case studies. 

We look forward to welcoming you to this enriching IT Managed Service Providers Networking Event, where you will gain valuable insights, forge new connections, and contribute to the growth of the ITMSP community in Aberdeen. 

This ITMS event is CPD certified! Gain hours towards your CPD qualifications by coming to our events.

ScotlandIS, in partnership with Equate Scotland and Scotland Skills Development Scotland, is delighted to be providing a free online session about inclusive recruitment practices specifically designed for small and medium enterprises within the tech ecosystem.

Workplace inclusion in today’s environment is a critical topic that tech employers can no longer see as “a nice to have”. Inclusive recruitment is a vital component of a broader approach. By ensuring that inclusive recruitment practices are embedded within the organisation, not only are we adhering to our legal duties but also ensuring we are tapping into a wider talent pool, fostering diversity of people, experiences, and innovation.

Inclusive recruitment refers to the processes and practices used to attract, interview, and hire a diverse pool of talent. This is to ensure we can reduce bias at different stages of the recruitment process and ensure the best-qualified people get hired for positions regardless of gender, ethnicity, or any other protected characteristics.

Why is inclusive recruitment important when hiring?

• Widen your talent pool to have a diverse pool of candidates to choose from. This is to ensure you don’t miss out on talents.
• Show your commitment to diversity & inclusion. Send a positive message to candidates and showcase that you want to create an environment that will help them learn and succeed.
• Set a positive environment from the start as the experience during the interview process will influence how candidates feel about joining your organisation.

What will you learn?

• Increase your understanding of what inclusive recruitment is within the Scottish tech ecosystem.
• Learn about current best practices throughout the recruitment process and know how to apply them within your organisation.
• Develop skills to review your own recruitment processes and identify short-term and long-term actions.
• Where to find resource and guidance to continue your learning.

Who should attend?

• This training is designed specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises with a requirement for digital skills.
• Ideal for professionals in a management or leadership position, working in Human Resources or involved in the recruitment process.

When is it?

This training will be hosted online and split across two sessions to allow time for self-reflection. Participants should attend both sessions:

Tuesday 19th March, 10am – 11.30am

Tuesday 26th March, 10am – 11.30am

Holyrood Connect’s annual Public Sector Data Summit will return to Edinburgh on 20 March 2024. 

The use of data in digital technologies within the public sector has skyrocketed in recent years. It is crucial that we understand how to maximise its potential to help us make informed decisions and deliver the best possible outcomes for our customers.  

Through a variety of session formats, including keynote addresses, panel discussions and interactive masterclasses, the event will provide real-life examples of data use within the public sector for you to learn from.  

You will have the opportunity to pose questions to our panels during the Question & Answer portions of the sessions and gain insight into: 

• How do we get the basics right on data 
• How do we effectively bring together the use of AI and data 
• What skills are required to optimise your business intelligence and data maturity 
• How can data make a positive difference in your community 
• The importance of data ethics 

Public Sector Data Summit 2024 will also feature an exhibition, providing an opportunity for you to explore relevant solutions for your organisation. 

The event is free-to-attend for those working in the public or third sectors. If you work in the private sector, please email eventsadmin@holyrood.com to be added to our waiting list. 

Scotland’s Cluster Ecosystem Conference is back, in partnership with the Scottish Cluster Ecosystem Alliance (SCEA). Aligning with the principles of SCEA, the conference will highlight opportunities and insights from across the tech ecosystem, and areas for cross-cluster collaboration. The day will look at international opportunities for tech businesses, as well as showcasing numerous initiatives being launched within Scotland’s tech sector.

This year the theme will focus on sustainability, with areas for discussion including how the sustainability of our organisations might impact our ability to do business in the years ahead, how we can work together to find solutions and how our sector can help to address climate change challenges. 

Intended outcomes of the conference 

• Discuss focussed areas where Scottish Tech businesses can improve their sustainability 
• Identify practices from other countries that can be implemented in Scotland to improve the sustainability of our tech organisations 
• Explore how the members of the Scottish Tech clusters can develop their Net Zero strategy to future proof their eligibility to trade internationally and therefore increase international trade. 
• Discuss how the skills of the sector can be used to assist in climate change challenges

AGENDA

09.15 – 09.45    Arrival, tea & coffee

09.45 – 10.00    Welcome

10.00 – 10.35    Cross-cluster collaborations to achieve net-zero

                             FinTech Scotland and Space Scotland 

10.35 – 11.10      Climate Education for Business

                             Mike Robinson, Chief Executive, Royal Scottish Geographical Society

                             Sheryl Newman, Chief Executive Officer, Appetite for Business 

11.10 – 11.40      Coffee break & networking

11.40 – 12.10     The role of Technology in addressing Net Zero 

                            Professor Sir Dieter Helm, University of Oxford 

12.10 – 12.55     From Concept to Commercialisation: Sustainable Approaches and using Tech in Design & Manufacture

                             Graeme McLaughlin, Design Engineering Team Lead, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland

                             Michael Groves, Founder and CEO, Topolytics 

                             Will Mitchell, Owner, 4C Design 

Abi Hird, Founder and Director, Defankle Innovation

13.00 – 14.00     Lunch

14.00 – 14.45     How Business Leaders can be Climate Leaders

                             Gemma Jones, Director – Enterprises Sustainability, PwC

Sheryl Newman, Chief Executive Officer, Appetite for Business

14.45 – 15.20      Leyton

15.20 – 16.15      AI and Sustainability 
                             Keith O’Donnell, Managing Director, Feynic Technology Ltd

16.15 – 16.30      Close

*CANCELLATION POLICY*

A £99+VAT no-show charge will be levied should you fail to attend on the day and fail to notify us of your non-attendance. Cancellations must be confirmed by contacting catriona.blair@wellpumpspecialists.com by no later than Tuesday 19th March. By booking your ticket, you agree to these terms and conditions.

Cluster Conference 2024 is now CPD certified! Gain hours towards your CPD qualifications by coming to our events.

ScotlandIS, in partnership with Equate Scotland and Scotland Skills Development Scotland, is delighted to be providing a free online session about inclusive recruitment practices specifically designed for small and medium enterprises within the tech ecosystem.

Workplace inclusion in today’s environment is a critical topic that tech employers can no longer see as “a nice to have”. Inclusive recruitment is a vital component of a broader approach. By ensuring that inclusive recruitment practices are embedded within the organisation, not only are we adhering to our legal duties but also ensuring we are tapping into a wider talent pool, fostering diversity of people, experiences, and innovation.

Inclusive recruitment refers to the processes and practices used to attract, interview, and hire a diverse pool of talent. This is to ensure we can reduce bias at different stages of the recruitment process and ensure the best-qualified people get hired for positions regardless of gender, ethnicity, or any other protected characteristics.

Why is inclusive recruitment important when hiring?

• Widen your talent pool to have a diverse pool of candidates to choose from. This is to ensure you don’t miss out on talents.
• Show your commitment to diversity & inclusion. Send a positive message to candidates and showcase that you want to create an environment that will help them learn and succeed.
• Set a positive environment from the start as the experience during the interview process will influence how candidates feel about joining your organisation.

What will you learn?

• Increase your understanding of what inclusive recruitment is within the Scottish tech ecosystem.
• Learn about current best practices throughout the recruitment process and know how to apply them within your organisation.
• Develop skills to review your own recruitment processes and identify short-term and long-term actions.
• Where to find resource and guidance to continue your learning.

Who should attend?

• This training is designed specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises with a requirement for digital skills.
• Ideal for professionals in a management or leadership position, working in Human Resources or involved in the recruitment process.

When is it?

This training will be hosted online and split across two sessions to allow time for self-reflection. Participants should attend both sessions:

Tuesday 19th March, 10am – 11.30am

Tuesday 26th March, 10am – 11.30am

Join our next ITMS Community event on 28th March in Edinburgh, which will be an afternoon session held at the The Sheraton hotel.

This event aims to bring together ITMSPs from the region to foster networking opportunities, and facilitate the sharing of challenges and best practices.

AGENDA

14.00-14.20   Welcome, Tea and Coffee 

14.20-14.30 ITMSP Cluster and Charter Update – Beverly Bowles, ScotlandIS Head of Cyber

14.30 -15.00 Pre-attack planning/Life’s a Breach – Craig Archdeacon, Head of Cyber Assurance and Jessica Hall, Head of Security Operations, Waterstons 

15.00-15.30 Moving Investigations Forward/Incident Response and Business Recovery/Articulating the Risks and what may be lost – Mark Cunningham Dickie, Quorum Cyber 

15.30-16.00 Incident Response, Digital Forensics, Post Incident Recovery – DS Paul Livingstone, Police Scotland

16.00-16.10 Comfort Break 

1610-16.45 Panel

16.45 – 17.00 Tea/Coffee/Snacks and Close 

We look forward to welcoming you to this enriching IT Managed Service Providers Networking Event, where you will gain valuable insights, forge new connections, and contribute to the growth of the ITMSP community in Edinburgh. 

The ScotlandIS Digital Technology Awards showcase excellence within the industry, rewarding the innovation, expertise and ambition of businesses large and small – and the people who drive them. Let’s highlight some of the great achievements within the tech sector over the last 12 months – nominate your organisation or an individual for the chance to be recognised amongst your peers.  Running for 14 years, the Awards are well established within our industry, offering winners the opportunity to use our platform to promote your business. Sharing your official winner’s badge on your website and social channels acts as a stamp of credibility and highlights quality standards to potential new clients.

We have two brand-new awards for 2024: Cyber Trailblazer, looking to recognise companies that have a novel solution to a cyber challenge, and Digital Tech Rising Star, shining a light on early career talent and the leaders of tomorrow.

If you have created a product or service that brings benefit to society, you could be eligible for the Tech for Good award, while innovative applications of data to transform businesses could indicate our Data Trailblazer.

If your organisation shows employees they are valued, and goes that extra mile to provide a positive working environment, then you might just have the Best Wellbeing at Work. The Digital Tech Business of the Year category looks to recognise start-ups, scale-ups and large companies that impress the judges with their outstanding tech, commercial success and growth over the past year.

There are a variety of different awards up for grabs that could shine a light on the fantastic work you’ve been doing, and all the criteria for each category is on our website so you can prepare your application answers in advance. Digital Tech 2024 will take place on 2nd May, at the Radisson Blu hotel in Glasgow. We look forward to you joining us for a night of food, fun and celebration of the industry. If you have any questions about the Digital Tech Awards, please contact marketing@wellpumpspecialists.com.   Tickets will be available to buy once the shortlist is announced in March.

Our next Software Engineering Leaders Forum will take place in Edinburgh, and will be led by Steve Higgon, CEO of TAAP, around the topic of Generative AI.

The quarterly S.E.L.F group provides a forum for software engineering leaders, CIO’s and CTO’s across the Scottish tech sector to share ideas and explore common challenges. The meetups also provide opportunities for informal mentoring and potential opportunities for joint working.

The evolution of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) has been marked by a continuous search for methodologies that enhance efficiency, adaptability, and responsiveness. This journey, from the structured Waterfall model to more flexible frameworks like Agile and DevOps, highlights the industry’s commitment to evolving with technological advancements and market demands. While Agile introduced a paradigm shift by emphasising iterative development, collaboration, and customer feedback, it also preserved the core phases of the SDLC—requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance. The subsequent integration of DevOps and Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) practices further enhanced collaboration between development and operations teams. Despite the rapid pace of innovation, the foundational stages of the SDLC have demonstrated remarkable resilience, proving their lasting relevance in adapting to the changing software landscape.

In the digital era, generative AI is the latest transformative force in the SDLC, offering unparalleled capabilities in automating and optimising the development process. This shift towards leveraging AI tools represents a significant leap forward, streamlining development cycles, reducing costs, and igniting product innovation. TAAP is pioneering the integration of generative AI within application development. Our upcoming presentation will explore the best practices for utilising these powerful technologies, supported by real-world customer use cases. These examples will illustrate the substantial benefits of generative AI, showcasing its ability to enhance and fundamentally transform the traditional software development lifecycle.

This event is exclusively for ScotlandIS members – secure your place now below.