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Chance to submit a new course to the online signposting platform that helps people boost their skills while staying at home.

The Department for Education is asking for new course applications for The Skills Toolkit. Launched on 28 April 2020, free high-quality digital and numeracy courses have been signposted through the platform to help build people's skills, progress in work, and boost their job prospects. The site highlights introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses designed to meet a range of needs. The courses have been selected on the advice of experts and leading employers, including techUK, to make sure they meet the needs of business.

They are now looking to add further courses to the 17 already on the platform. These will cover digital, numeracy, work readiness and employability, and add a wider range of materials available. They are particularly interested in courses which are useful for apprentices, graduates and those recently unemployed, and provide useful skills for growing sectors and occupations.

There is clear appetite across the UK to embrace the opportunity to learn digital skills, as individuals look to build a career for tomorrow. This motivation is clear from the large uptake in the use of digital technologies by businesses and individuals alike during the pandemic. techUK polling shows that over half of GB online adults aged 16-75 are interested in gaining digital skills with a huge 82% agreeing that ‘digital skills will become more important in the next 12 months’. Wave two of the Skills Toolkit is looking to build on this momentum.

Find out more and check that your course meets the course criteria. Courses must meet all 9 course criteria to be considered for the platform. Courses which meet the course criteria will be evaluated by DfE (who will be supported by a number of external experts) and the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).

Applications must be submitted by 11.55pm on Monday 17 August 2020. If you have any questions about the course criteria or evaluation processes, please email skills.toolkit@education.gov.uk.