Cardiff Uni National Software Academy given £575K grant

Wales' National Software Academy is due to expand after being awarded a £575,000 grant.

Part of Cardiff University and based in Newport, the academy aims to fill some of the hundreds of vacancies in the technology industry.

The cash, from Newport council and the Welsh Government, will enable it to move into the city's Information Station after "outgrowing" its current centre.

It is the first of its kind in the UK.

Newport council leader Debbie Wilcox said: "Cardiff University approached the council because the National Software Academy was outgrowing its home near the railway station.

"It is our ambition to make Newport a vibrant technology hub so it was vital that we keep the academy in the city to help us achieve that ambition.

"It attracts inward investment by producing high quality graduates and over the last year more than 120 companies have engaged with the NSA."

The new course came about after nearly 18 months of lobbying by IT executives who were worried the whole Welsh economy could be held back because of the shortage of software engineers.

It has been estimated that 3,100 new IT recruits are needed each year in Wales.