Free digital and numeracy courses to build your skills.

The Department for Education has launched a web page that signposts people to free online courses that can develop their digital and numeracy skills during lockdown. To find out more click here. 

WorldSkills UK announce five-point action plan in response to COVID-19.

WorldSkills UK have set out a five-point action plan in response to COVID-19, looking at how to help young people both today and in the coming months and years power up a skills-led recovery and support the rebuilding of the UK economy, beyond the immediate public health crisis. Read more here.

Play Enginuity's New Minecraft-Based Game Skills Miner!

Enginuity have released Skills Miner, a newly created virtual world to discover and attract future engineers within Minecraft. The game, set in an electric car showroom and factory, assesses players aptitude for a whole raft of skills – from observation and assessment, resilience, digital competency, problem-solving and critical reasoning.

Brought forward from a planned summer release, to allow thousands of people in lockdown to have fun – and find out if they’ve got what it takes to transit from the virtual to the real world workplace in engineering. 

The game is free to play (Education edition) or with a Minecraft licence and available on PC/ Mac/ iOS and Android! 

Find out more on Enginuity's website here. 

Provider Relief Scheme

The Provider Relief Scheme is open for applications, and is available to training providers with contracts for services that were procured as a service under the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

The purpose of the Relief Scheme is to ensure training providers can continue to deliver high quality education and training to make sure we have the skills needed to rebuild our economy post COVID-19. The closing date for applications is Thursday 30 April 2020. More information can be found here. 

ESFA implements new measures for employers, apprentices and providers of apprenticeship training and assessment in response to COVID-19

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) document sets out guidance and some temporary flexibilities that we are introducing to the programme during the pandemic, and provides answers to questions related to these changes and other common questions. Read more here.

(Updated 19 May 2020)

What does furlough mean for apprentices?

The Government has confirmed that furloughed apprentices can continue their apprenticeship training if they’re paid at least the apprenticeship minimum wage. Read more here.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): financial support for education, early years and children’s social care

The government has put in place a number of funding and financial measures to support organisations – both public and private – during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. More information can be found here.

EqualEngineers Covid-19 Challenge

EqualEngineers has launched the COVID-19 Challenge. They are looking for creative and out-of-this-world ideas, to help tackle the effects of COVID-19 around you. Win a £100 Amazon voucher, and a private tour at an engineering facility! All entries must be received by the 31st May. More information can be found here.

Apprenticeships and COVID-19

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) has published a video that shows employers how to use pause and stop in the apprenticeship service to record a break in learning.