UK STUDENTS SET TO LEARN AI, AR, VR IN SCHOOL

• New tech course from hackajob and YourGamePlan set to roll out across UK schools free of charge
• Students will learn the digital skills that will increase their employability and help bridge the 14.3million European tech talent shortage
• AI, VR, and AR to form part of the new agenda for tech-savvy young learners

Thousands of school students across the UK are being offered the chance to join a new digital and tech virtual course, as part of plans to teach the next generation about a future career in technology.

With a predicted European tech talent shortage of 14.3million by 2030, the course aims to solve the issue by inspiring the next generation of digital natives with a first-of-its-kind e-learning course for 16-18 year olds.

hackajob, Europe’s largest tech talent hub, has partnered with YourGamePlan, leading provider of digital training courses for students in the UK, to launch the new digital & tech virtual hub.

Launching in early February, and being offered for free to all UK schools, the course covers a wide variety of tech skills including artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) – topics that aren’t covered on the national curriculum but are genuinely sought-after in the real world.

Split into three core sections – how tech changes the world; the make-up of a tech team; and cultivating practical skills – each module is delivered by video, so the course easily fits around existing school, college or life commitments.

Mark Chaffey, co-founder of hackajob, says:

“With a predicted European tech talent shortage of 14.3million by 2030, our aim is to help bridge the current skills gap by bringing more young people into the sector through education. The hub helps students understand how they might fit into the industry, where their natural skill sets lie and future career possibilities.

“I founded hackajob as a student and so this is a project incredibly close to my heart. I want to support people trying to find their dream career in tech. The problem is though, very few young people actually know what a career in tech actually entails. What does a Developer actually do day to day? What are the key skills needed to become a Developer or Engineer? This is the clarity the new course aims to provide to thousands of students across the country.

“We’re very proud to be YourGamePlan’s tech partner. We want to inspire students and give them the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about their future career.”

Danny Heath, founder of YourGamePlan, says:

“I strongly believe that every young person should have access to employability skills, so they can make the best decision about their future when they leave school. These skills aren’t covered in the curriculum and nearly half of schools don’t have the budget to fund them.

“Tech is a massive sector and one that we haven’t tackled before so it’s brilliant to partner with hackajob. There is a wealth of opportunity in it for young people. We make all our courses free to schools and students, so there is no barrier preventing anyone from benefiting from them, and they are CPD-accredited.”

To date, 45,000 courses have been completed through YourGamePlan, with over 30,000 students registered to the site.