As AI reshapes entry-level jobs, Jim Knight is drawing on his government and education experience to ensure tech advancements strengthen, not reduce, opportunity for young people – especially those not in employment, education or training (NEET). Interview by Nicola Baird.
For many adults, the challenge is not developing new interests, but turning existing skills into income. Digital skills are now essential in bridging that gap – helping learners translate creativity into viable employment and self-employment opportunities.
Starting a business can feel overwhelming without the knowledge and confidence to take the first steps. Adult learning can help turn ideas into achievable plans by making business skills practical and accessible.
Practical adult learning can create direct routes into employment by combining skills development with confidence and industry knowledge. For many learners, this opens up multiple pathways into work.
Simon Parkinson, CEO of the large adult learning charity, WEA, looks at the multiple pluses lifelong learning courses give adults – something that gets lost in translation by a government that still has no overall adult learning strategy. Interview by Nicola Baird.
As the demand for green skills grows, the challenge is creating clear routes into these roles. Targeted training programmes can bridge this gap by combining technical knowledge with practical application.
For many learners with learning difficulties or disabilities, the pathway into work is not always accessible through traditional routes. Practical, hands-on learning can provide a more effective way to build skills, confidence and independence.
For many people arriving in the UK, the journey into work begins with learning English and rebuilding confidence. Progression is rarely linear – it often involves moving through different types of learning over time.
As demand for green skills grows, the challenge is helping people understand how these jobs connect to their everyday lives.
For some adults, learning provides a way to rebuild direction and identity after difficult life experiences. Creative courses can offer structure, purpose and a space to develop both skills and confidence.
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