Webinar: Open University in Scotland Flexible Workforce Development Fund addressing digital skills

Join the Open University (OU) for a webinar on Tuesday 1 February, 10:00–11:00 to explore how the Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF) could benefit the staff at your housing association or co-operative through personal development. The webinar will share recent case studies and reflections on the trends from the previous year as well as information on funding, eligibility and how to apply. 

Supported by the Scottish Government’s Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF), small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) – organisations with less than 250 employees – in Scotland can access training up to the value of £5,000 delivered online by the OU to benefit both their staff and volunteers. 

The OU’s recent Business Barometer report published in 2021, found that almost two thirds (62%) of organisations in Scotland are struggling to recruit the skills they need, with 61% saying they think the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation. Available for the second year running, the FWDF could help your organisation to future-proof your digital talent pool.  

Employers are seizing the opportunity to provide new training opportunities at pace. As a result, rapidly growing industries or those sectors that have specific skills gaps are increasingly turning to microcredentials to upskill and reskill their workforce in key capabilities. 

Through the FWDF, the OU is offering an ever-expanding range of microcredentials to SMEs. These enable individuals to gain specialist knowledge through industry-endorsed courses and develop practical skills that can be applied in the workplace immediately. Designed specifically to enhance professional skills, knowledge, and experience in a particular subject area, they take just 10–12 weeks of online study and offer a perfect balance of OU academic excellence and workplace relevance. Microcredentials provide employers the ideal opportunity to keep their workforce up to date with relevant and emerging practices in an increasingly digital world.