Network for Innovation

Quarterly focuses on key challenges and innovations to meet sector need to bring topical and relevant discussions to the fore designed to engage, inform and challenge educators and senior representatives across institutions. Themes for the focus seminars will include the Developing Excellence Programme and Benchmarking and International Standards, as well as input from NCFE, industry and education partners.

Communities of practice in up to three focused areas in the first year (advanced manufacturing, digital and green skills) linked to a bursary (Innovation Fund) to enable skills exchanges between UK and international institutions to investigate, share and exchange in global insights to strengthen curricula and practice to share within communities (virtually or in-person):

1. 1. how global counterparts are innovating to raise standards in the delivery of technical skills, to help mainstream international best practice in classrooms and workshops across the UK.
   2. benchmarking the UK’s technical skills to measure the strengths of the UK skills system and share insights on how other countries are raising standards through WorldSkills Competitions.

The activities will be driven by the sector and we will facilitate Communities of Practices, focusing on the priority future skills.

We will establish three communities of practice in key growth sectors (Digital, Net Zero, Advanced Manufacturing), to explore future demand for skills, enhance technical expertise with industry led training and diagnostic action learning and research with coaching and mentoring rooted in its core.

The purpose is to provide a space that encourages innovation that deepens knowledge, understanding and practice amongst practitioners.

Why:

The Communities of Practice are about the future of these priority skills. In a fast-paced skills area, emerging technologies and changes, the Communities will enable WorldSkills UK to use their expertise, intelligence and networks to provide leverage and support. With access to our experts in education and industry, both National and International, and mentoring support the groups will enable a space and structure to guide and influence priority skills for the benefit of the sector and economy.

Bursary Award (may be called Innovation Fund)

We will also develop the criteria for a bursary award scheme, one of the essential requirements will be the recipient’s ability to disseminate the educational benefits to their institution/wider sector and cascading the learning and information to peers. The bursary will facilitate an international skills exchange visit.

We will work closely with International Partnerships, creating systems and processes to liaise with relevant counterparts to ensure that sharing and collaboration takes place. Skills Exchanges may be centred around another country’s national finals or an industry-specific event.

3. Connecting industry and international partners with educators to facilitate networking, collaboration and innovation in skills excellence in-person at key points in the year (November 2023 and March 2024). For example, the November event will take place during our National Finals in the North West of England.

Global Community for Thought Leadership – forum/space to share research, to build evidence and learning to influence policy and practice and embed excellence across teaching, learning and assessment.