{"id":27448,"date":"2025-06-24T15:08:28","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T14:08:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/?p=27448"},"modified":"2025-06-24T15:08:28","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T14:08:28","slug":"skills-organisation-for-young-people-partners-with-the-open-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/around-ou\/skills-organisation-for-young-people-partners-with-the-open-university\/","title":{"rendered":"Skills organisation for young people partners with The Open University"},"content":{"rendered":"

Birmingham-based Young Leaders Club (YLC) is working with The Open University (OU) to help young people from underrepresented backgrounds reach for their goals through an exciting education collaboration.<\/p>\n

This new partnership will extend the club\u2019s existing educational support by signposting its members to the OU\u2019s OpenLearn Create<\/strong><\/a> platform, a treasure-trove of free courses on skills to land a great job or help them climb the ladder of success.<\/p>\n

It will supplement the club\u2019s existing face-to-face support for young people that already exists in the shape of workshops from financial literacy to leadership skills, sales training and coaching in interviewing skills plus many more.<\/p>\n

Hundreds of free courses<\/h2>\n

The YLC can access hundreds of free courses to help them on their way or assist others become industry leaders in their field. Course durations can be as short as an hour or last 24 hours and beyond.<\/p>\n

The YLC can also host its own courses on the platform and businessman Jamil Shabir, who founded the club in 2024 in the West Midlands, says:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis partnership with The Open University is a game-changer for our young people.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBy combining our real-world workshops with access to hundreds of high-quality online courses, we\u2019re giving them the tools to build confidence, develop critical skills, and map out their futures with purpose.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cEducation shouldn\u2019t come with barriers, and through this collaboration we\u2019re helping to remove them. Whether it\u2019s a one-hour course on CV writing or a deep dive into digital skills, our members can now access support that fits around their lives and ambitions.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Benefit from new skills and mentoring<\/h2>\n

The YLC was created to help underrepresented young people from the age of 16-24 network and pick up new skills.<\/p>\n

Additionally, there are opportunities to meet young mentors like Santina Bunting to help inspire them to ensure they reach their full potential.<\/p>\n

She said:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen first-hand how access to the right knowledge can transform lives. For many young people, especially those who haven\u2019t followed a traditional route, having free, flexible learning opportunities like this can be the spark they need to believe in their potential.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis new platform opens the door for self-directed learning and personal growth. It\u2019s more than just gaining skills, it\u2019s about showing young people that their goals are within reach, no matter where they start from.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Chaitali Patel, Head of Prospects at the OU, said:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are delighted to be supporting Young Leaders Club. Its aims align with our mission to open up education to all and give people from all backgrounds the skills they need to get ahead in their careers.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

OU Business Barometer<\/h2>\n

According to this year\u2019s Open University Business Barometer<\/strong><\/a>, a revealing annual survey that takes the temperature of the health of British business, just over half of the employers surveyed know they have skills gaps.<\/p>\n

More than a third say staff shortages are impacting productivity; 40% are experiencing an increase on staff workloads and 30% say those staff shortages are affecting growth or expansion plans.<\/p>\n

But it revealed that more than 7 out of 10 employers would be willing to train young people to address this.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s survey reached out specifically to youths for their opinions and discovered:<\/p>\n