NCS to take on careers role

The initiative, which is aimed at 16- and 17-year-olds, will work with education charity the Raspberry Pi Foundation to pilot the introduction of digital skills and careers programmes.

Coding and digital entrepreneurship are set to be among the training on offer to young people, according to the strategy. The NCS is also set to liaise with creative technology businesses to see how it can "inspire participants to consider a career in the sector".

The strategy states that the NCS "is uniquely placed to help young people to engage with the digital economy" and reiterates the government's intention for the initiative to become "a rite of passage for all young people".

The NCS's involvement in digital training follows the launch in January of the government's Industrial Strategy green paper, which laid out plans for reform of technical education to improve young people's digital skills.

It also comes amid a push by ministers to boost digital learning in schools. This has included the introduction of coding teaching for both primary and secondary pupils in 2014.

In addition, there are now 5,000 "code clubs" in schools and all year 7 children have been provided with a codeable computer called a micro:bit through the BBC's Make it Digital programme.

Culture secretary Karen Bradley said: "Coding is being put in the National Curriculum - and we are taking forward the recommendations of the Shadbolt Review into computer science degrees - so that younger and future generations will have the specialist skills they need to take full advantage of digital.