Jamaica Technology and Digital Alliance (JTDA) has announced a partnership with BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS), formerly the British Computer Society.

The announcement was made at the recent BizTech 2021 conference, where BCS President John Higgins endorsed the initiative. The agreement provides JDTA members with global perspectives from their profession and opportunities for continuous professional development and access to internationally recognised qualifications and professional registrations in IT.

The partnership with JTDA will provide existing BCS members in the Caribbean with stronger links to their profession locally through networks, groups and events. It will also enable BCS’ UK and international members to better understand the opportunities in the Caribbean’s technology sector. This is a crucial aspect of JTDA’s “One Caribbean” strategy that seeks to build bridges between the technology professionals in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

BCS supports IT professionals throughout their careers, helping them to demonstrate, maintain and develop their competencies and knowledge. BCS membership provides practical tools to support the individual, soft skills development and access to a wealth of resources. Joining requires members to sign a code of conduct, which signals employers’ commitment to professionalism and ethical behaviour. JTDA members can build their profile by adding BCS post-nominals and evidence competency by joining BCS professional registers.

There is a strong alignment between the visions of BCS and JTDA, which forms a solid foundation for the partnership. As the UK’s professional body for IT and the digital industries, BCS’s charitable objectives are to promote and advance the education and practice of computing for the benefit of society. This means building a competent and ethical profession that is diverse, inclusive, and plentiful in talent at all levels and developing a resilient and thriving society in the digital world with access to the technology knowledge and skills needed.

Establishing a partnership with JDTA supports these charitable objectives by helping to build the professional community in a fast-growing and dynamic digital economy, which is increasingly becoming a source of international talent and inward investment.

Stacey Hines, president, Jamaica Technology and Digital Alliance, said: “We are excited to be official partners with BCS. There is a desire in the Caribbean for recognition of professionalism in IT and we are pleased that our members will be able to join members of BCS. Membership is a great way to demonstrate the professionalism of our members to their employers and enhance the reputation of the IT profession in Jamaica. The partnership means that JTDA members will have access to learning and careers support as well as resources to keep their knowledge up to date. They will also get to benefit from bespoke events as well as special discounts and deals on BCS publications.”

John Higgins, president of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, added: “This latest agreement between BCS and Jamaica Technology and Digital Alliance demonstrates a commitment to a common definition of professionalism. This is a significant step in promoting the value and importance of the profession and further enhances the industry’s reputation.

“Bodies like ours are ideally placed to make the case that society must demand the highest standards of professionalism from its digital practitioners – it’s a cornerstone in helping to build public trust in digital.”