‘Skills Toolkit’ launched to help furloughed employees

FURLOUGHED workers are to be given Government-backed lessons in “how to present yourself online” and “every day maths”.

Free lessons in how to code, how to use social media and how to master video calling will also be featured as part of “The Skills Toolkit”, which Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, is launching today.

Aimed at improving the nation’s skills at a time when many people are out of work, the online courses have been designed by Leeds University, The Open University and the Institute for Coding. Ministers hope that the online courses will improve people’s employability as well as boost their confidence and help with their mental health.

“These are the skills which are highly valued by employers and sought after in a wide range of jobs,” the Department for Education said.

“With more people expected to be working and studying remotely in the coming months, the platform offers a great opportunity to learn new skills to help to get ahead online and gain the knowledge we’ll all need for the future.

“The platform also offers employees who have been furloughed an opportunity to keep up their skills development while they are at home.”

Mr Williamson urged businesses to encourage their furloughed employees to use The Skills Toolkit to “improve their knowledge, build their confidence and support their mental health”.

Last week, businesses rushed to put a million workers on taxpayer-funded leave on the first day that the Treasury launched applications for their flagship scheme to protect the UK economy.

The job retention scheme was announced last month by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, and provides taxpayer funding for 80 per cent of employees’ wages up to £2,500 a month while they are not working.

An Office for National Statistics survey has suggested that 27 per cent of the total workforce was already furloughed by April 5.