Webinars, talks and podcasts

There is an ongoing skills crisis in the UK – three in four employers struggle to access the skills they need, according to last year’s Open University (OU) Business Barometer report, conducted in partnership with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). These skills shortages are having a huge impact on organisations, affecting their ability to recruit, grow, innovate and succeed.

It’s a challenging skills landscape in the UK, with widespread and ongoing shortages. Almost three quarters (73%) of businesses polled in The Open University’s (OU) latest Business Barometer report said they had significant skills gaps and that it was affecting their ability to do business.

Dr Victoria Hands, Director of Sustainability at The Open University, discusses the skills gap in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) within UK businesses on the latest Sustainability Uncovered podcast.

Last year, the NHS released its Long Term Workforce Plan an ambitious plan to train record numbers of nurses, doctors, dentists and other healthcare practitioners in order to address workforce gaps and meet the needs of a growing and aging population in England.

In a world where environmental issues are dominating global discussions, business leaders are asking themselves: “How can my organisation tackle environmental challenges and what steps do I need to take to make a positive impact?”

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy was a key focus at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) recent Annual Conference and Exhibition. Phil Kenmore, Director - Corporate Development and Partnerships at the OU, spoke at the event with a particular focus on the skills challenges posed by ESG.

Our Elevate Equity event brought together a number of leading experts in diversity and inclusion to The Open University’s campus in Milton Keynes. In front of a live and virtual hybrid audience, three panels talked about the role of equity in the workplace.

Learning improves employee wellbeing. Whether it’s targeted at wellbeing programmes, long-term skills training such as degrees and apprenticeships, or chunks of bite-sized training such as microcredentials, they all boost employees’ mental health, leading to positive outcomes for employees and employers.

The Open University (OU) gathered together some of the UK's leading voices in digital inclusion to discuss how organisations can equip themselves with the skills and mindset needed to succeed.

Learning and development is key to improving social mobility in the workplace. That’s why The Open University (OU) partnered up with TrainingZone earlier this year to produce the whitepaper L&D’s role in enabling social mobility.