Post by Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport
Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg
It’s not just about computers. Let’s just be clear about that at the start.
The term ‘digital’ covers a lot, but in essence it’s about using technology to make things better – to make firms more productive or to create new products and markets. And to develop services that meet the needs of customers.
Continue readingDarllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg
It seems a long time ago since we updated you on the development of DataMapWales (former Lle), so following on from Sean Williams post in May last year, I would like to bring you up to speed on what’s been going on.
Continue readingDarllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg
The covid-19 pandemic has been devastating in many ways and has prompted the need for us, and others, to deliver digital public services at pace and based around user needs. An example is the work of the Business Wales Digital team, who provide support to businesses across Wales in relation to financial support, training, marketing and much more. In this blog, Rhys Morris, Operational Delivery Manager in Business Wales, explains how he and his team used agile and fast delivery approaches to put in place much needed support for Welsh businesses.
Continue readingDarllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg
This week it’s Digital Leaders Week which felt like a good time to write my first blog as Chief Digital Officer in Welsh Government since I started in July (not quite the famous “100 first days” that politicians refer to but not far away). It’s been a whirlwind few months learning what is going on across the organisation and outside, and at the same time trying to take forward some key pieces of work which we think are important in terms of responding to the pandemic and getting ourselves ready for the future. As with many other work places we have of course primarily been working from home since March. This of course has huge benefits which have been well described over the past few months, but it does present a very different experience in starting a new job and not being able to have face to face contact with my new teams!
Continue readingDarllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg
Throughout school I always enjoyed taking part in making and designing new things for others (my favourite lesson being Textiles). I’m not implying that creating a dress is the same as implementing a policy, but they have very similar needs. These include, a (hopefully) happy user, an end product and that feeling of success! It turns out that by finding out what people wanted, and adapting to their needs I was actually carrying something called user research.
Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg
Following the Open Data Workshop in November, we are working with Data Cymru to deliver two more workshops in North and South West Wales. These workshops will focus on how we can increase the amount of open data being published and used through developing guidance and showcasing some useful tools. Continue reading
Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg
Planning my future looked as though it was going to be the biggest decision I would ever make in my life, so I tried avoiding it. Whilst coming to the end of my A-levels this year, not knowing what my favourite subject was, or whether I wanted to go to university, I was completely clueless. However, after speaking to those with experience it landed me in this amazing opportunity that provides so many choices. Continue reading
Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg
In March 2019, I started my apprenticeship with the Welsh Government and my first placement is within Hwb’s Service desk team. Hwb is the National Digital Learning Platform which hosts a national collection of digital tools and resources to support learning and teaching in Wales. Continue reading
Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg
Before joining Welsh Government I completed my degree in History at the University of Reading. After graduating I wasn’t sure about what path to take regarding a career, as until then I’d only worked part-time jobs while at school. Over Christmas I started working in retail as a customer assistant, and began building my experience and skills. After 3 years and undertaking a variety of roles I decided that I did not see a long-term career in retail management and began searching for a different career path aligned with my interests. Initially I was debating going back to university to continue my education; however I was disappointed with the potential prospects offered by a Masters in History. I fired off applications for all sorts of jobs, from the National Crime Agency to air traffic control – just to try something different. Continue reading
Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg.
In March 2019, I took a leap of faith in leaving my teaching job to join Welsh Government as a Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Pathway Apprentice. I’m now nearing the end of my first placement on the scheme and already it’s clear that I couldn’t have made a better choice in reinvigorating and future-proofing my career.
Prior to enrolling on the DDaT Pathway Apprenticeship I spent 5 years working as a Teacher, having specialised in Primary Education and Special Educational Needs. Whilst I found my work rewarding, the focus of the work was often administrative, and I regularly found myself having to work outside of my conditioned hours in order to meet the demands of the role. The six-week summers went some way to redress the balance but I was still having to work even during these holiday periods. Continue reading
