UK tinkering computer, the Raspberry Pi has been given the thumbs up from one of the open-source industry’s big names. Brian Green, managing director, SUSE UK & Ireland said that the Raspberry Pi will provide a generation of young learners with the opportunity to explore the world of programming and coding.

Green said that the gear's arrival comes at a time when there is widespread concern at the lack of IT skills many school leavers have and the resulting affect upon the UK’s technology industry.

“The economic slowdown has forced businesses to look at ways to cut costs while maintaining performance, both of which open source software such as Linux can provide,” he said.

To navigate Linux technology and take advantage of the developer community, organisations need trained Linux professionals that understand the marketplace and have experience at the kernel and application levels.
Green said that stats such as 85 per centof 2,000 recruiters finding it hard to hire suitably qualified Linux Professionals and a further 47 per cent saying they were expecting a rise in firms looking to hire those with Linux skills highlight this issue.

He thought that while the Raspberry Pi is not a panacea to all the IT industry’s recruitment problems its arrival will help ensure that future generations can take advantage of all that the open source community has to offer.

“The Raspberry Pi will allow a new generation to develop skills that can provide not only enjoyment but also a valuable place in the IT job landscape," Green said.

He called on the government to look at ways to incorporate skills such as coding into the curriculum so that a new generation of digital natives develop the necessary programming skills.