Region of Learning to launch in Cambridgeshire to upskill young people and offer digital badging
A consortium of businesses and organisations will collaborate to launch a digital Region of Learning covering Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
It is designed to equip young people who are unemployed or not in education, training or employment with the skills to find work in some of Cambridge’s fastest-growing industries.
The initiative is being developed by Cambridge non-profit Form the Future, in partnership with St Neots-based consultancy Shift Momentum and digital consultancy Navigatr. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Region of Learning will build on a model already rolled out elsewhere in the UK.
It will introduce a system of digital credentials for young people aged 15-24, with badges reflecting learning or participatory activities offered by a range of informal and formal learning and education providers around the county.
Anne Bailey, CEO of Form the Future, said: “Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is home to some of the most serious inequality in the entire country. Yet there’s huge potential in helping our young people upskill and connecting them with work opportunities locally.
“At a time when the pace of economic change is accelerating, it’s essential that we give our young people the support they need to develop professionally and take advantage of the huge range of work opportunities available in our region.”
Anne added: “The Region of Learning will help us to recognise and build human capital by giving our young people the foothold they need to get started in the world of work, for example by finding work placements, apprenticeships and interview opportunities.”
A not-for-profit with a strong social mission, Form the Future helps students from disadvantaged communities break the cycle of underachievement at school and in the workplace. By partnering with local schools and businesses, they encourage young people to explore their skills and interests, understand their future employment options, and make informed career decisions that are right for them.
Young people interested in participating should contact Form the Future on regionoflearning@formthefuture.org.uk for more information. Employers, businesses and learning providers interested in taking part in the project, or for further information on the Region of Learning app, should contact regionoflearning@cambridge.gov.uk.
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Region of Learning is led by Cambridge City Council in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council and has received funding support from the European Social Fund administered by the Department of Work and Pensions, Greater Cambridge Partnership, Arts Council England, and Anglia Ruskin University.
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