Helping tackle vocational skills shortages and future skills requirements due to the changing nature of work.
Many employers find that the gap between the skills that they need and the skills offered by potential employees is widening, often as a result of changes in the nature of work or changes in the structure of the industry or locality in which they work.
In addition, some groups of industries, communities and individuals are not well served by current vocational learning structures. Opportunities to upskills and re-skill may be lacking, learning may be difficult to access and support hard to find.
To address some of these challenges, in 2019 we launched our VocTech Challenge: Digital approaches to support the changing nature of work. The programme explored how digital tech can help bridge the gap between the skills that employers want and the skills that employees need.
Through a series of workshops and consultations the challenge programme explored the question:
“How can we use digital approaches to support innovation in adult vocational skills provision which directly tackles the challenges resulting from the changing nature of work?”
This challenge programme had a particular focus on delivering a positive impact on individuals in cycles of low-skill roles and the organisations in those sectors. We looked to improve access to learning, routes to employment and progress at work.
The VocTech Challenge grant fund
The grant fund developed as part of this challenge was aimed at supporting projects that could prototype and demonstrate novel approaches to employer-led vocational learning. We looked for ideas with the potential to make a significant difference to reskilling the UK workforce and the number of people gaining new skills, especially for those industries, communities and individuals at risk of being left behind.
Each grant-funded project clearly identified ways to use digital technology to provide a route into work, reskill adults to ensure that their skills remain relevant, or to reskill people in work to enable transition into new sectors.
You can explore the grant-funded projects on the links below.
-
Way To Work
Socrates Software is working with probationers to tackle unemployment and help reduce reoffending rates.
-
Smart Pathways
VR-based training programme for long-term unemployed learners taking their first-step towards employment.
-
The Difficult Conversation Trainer (previously Skilling Me Softly)
Using VR technology to close the soft skills gap.
-
Digital Aspire
Supporting adults with learning disabilities to develop their digital skills and confidence.
-
Personalised Leadership and Management Training for the AgriTech Sector
Contextualised and personalised learning pathways for the Agri-Tech sector.
