Today the government launched a new online learning platform - The Skills Toolkit – offering access to free digital and numeracy courses to help people develop their skills, progress in work and boost their job prospects. 

According to the DfE press release the new platform has been developed to meet demand as more people are working and studying remotely, including workers who have been furloughed.

The Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, said:

I want businesses to encourage their furloughed employees to use The Skills Toolkit to improve their knowledge, build their confidence and support their mental health so they have skills they need to succeed after the coronavirus outbreak.”

Similar learning platforms are being launched in the devolved nations.

Kevin Rowan, Director of unionlearn, said:

Furloughed workers and those who are working from home during the coronavirus pandemic will welcome this initiative, which guides them to free and reputable learning resources that are easily accessible online.”

Maintaining learning and development is crucially important during these challenging times and unionlearn’s Learning@home initiative is supporting workers by providing online learning opportunities that can help develop their skills whilst they are at home.”