The future of work is upon us. While high-tech jobs have been growing rapidly in the UK, in the longer term, jobs in sectors such as retail are increasingly at risk. Combined with the impact of the pandemic, this is creating a two-strand economy: new jobs in areas such as programming and business management alongside a booming gig economy, characterised by variable hours, low pay, and a lack of protections for workers. By some estimates, one in eight workers in the UK currently suffers in-work poverty.
Lifelong learning is often floated as a way of bridging this divide. New digital skills and computer literacy, alongside more traditional workplace skills, will help the UK workforce adapt to new industries of the 21st century.
But lifelong learning has long been difficult to implement, or politically ignored, in the UK. The adult skills system is sorely lacking: according to the Learning and Work Institute, the number of adults taking part in learning is at its lowest level in 25 years. Private sector organisations have been reluctant to invest in upskilling their workforces, and the welfare system has not gone far enough in providing resources to prepare workers for the changing world of work.
A new wave of social innovators may change all of this. Social enterprises and not-for-profits can combine the dynamism of the private sector with a focus on social impact, and partnerships with firms and government can provide necessary resources and sector expertise.
The RSA (the royal society for arts, manufactures and commerce) has been at the forefront of significant social impact for over 260 years. Central to our mission is a commitment to uncovering new initiatives and driving innovation in the future of work to secure good work for all. Our research has discovered that, around the world, there are organisations using new technology and networks to improve working conditions, retrain workers, and help businesses adapt to rapidly changing market conditions.
Not-for-profit Bayes Impact is one organisation at the forefront of future of work innovation. Bayes Impact received mentoring and network building support as part of an RSA Impact Accelerator programme run with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth in 2018. Its platform, Bob Emploi, has used AI to help over 250,000 job seekers in France and Belgium assess and improve their employability with data-driven advice.
With the support of the RSA and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Bayes Impact is now embarking on a project to support people to upskill by building a new platform that enables users to explore different career and training options. The platform utilises labour market data to guide users onto training pathways which lead to good attainable jobs with personalised digital coaching provided to support them on their journey. This is not simply about finding short-term training opportunities but involves looking holistically at the needs of the economy, the jobs market and of the workers themselves.
By scaling this platform and using sophisticated data science, Bayes Impact aims to support more people who traditionally may not take advantage of training opportunities throughout their life. Key to this will be reaching groups such as young people not currently in education, employment or training and workers in jobs or sectors facing significant risk of automation. Those without good access to tech will also need support. This an area where more nimble social innovators have an edge over government and an area where organisations, like the RSA and Bayes Impact with the support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, can provide a bridge between the two.
There will be no silver bullet to improving lifelong learning, and collaboration will be just as important as innovation. By using the strengths of different players in the skills ecosystem, deploying new technologies and scaling up grassroots initiatives, skills training could be a source of pride for the UK - and create a future of work that benefits everyone.
