Sponsored content: Diane Cooper on a resource providing free access to a range of courses including digital, employability, business, communication and management skills
Skilled people have a vital role to play in helping Scotland recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
A provider of flexible online education for over 50 years, the Open University in Scotland does much to support and increase the employability of young people and job seekers across Scotland’s communities.
Working collaboratively is increasingly more important to find solutions for the heightened demand for skills - in particular for young people living with career uncertainty.
We are proud to work in partnership with Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and Scottish Local Authorities Economic Development Group (SLAED) representing all 32 local authorities to develop a Skills for Work portal providing free access to a range of skills for courses including digital, employability, business, communication and management skills. Importantly, the portal delivers on our shared goal of ensuring Scotland’s young people can access the necessary skills to enhance their job prospects and career opportunities.
The easy-to-use portal was successfully piloted with young job seekers on various employability programmes such as Kickstart and Community Jobs Scotland who had completed some of the courses covering skills for life and skills for work. All 30 courses on the portal, ranging from two hours to 24 hours of learning, have been designed to do at any time or pace and include an Open University Statement of Participation and a Digital Badge for inclusion on job applications and recognised by employers.
I have personal experience of working in the voluntary sector and as the pandemic has accelerated the desire and need to learn online, I am delighted that the portal has also showcases a range of free courses which introduce the voluntary sector as a potential career route.
These courses guide learners through the values of the voluntary sector, how organisations are funded, how volunteering works and how to apply your knowledge about the sector to your own skills or volunteering experience. All of which, helps demonstrate the attractive opportunities of working in such a rich and fulfilling sector.
Working with both SCVO and all 32 local authorities harnesses the power of partnership. It ensures we all reach and can offer practical skills support to young people across Scotland’s communities regardless of background, qualifications or geographical location.
Across all of our skills work at the Open University, we are engaging with organisations who have a clear focus on increasing employability. If you would like to have a chat and find out more, please get in touch - diane.cooper@open.ac.uk
Diane Cooper is partnership manager for The Open University in Scotland.
