The Workforce Foresighting Hub (WF Hub) workshops were designed to showcase the data insights already generated and provide demonstrations of visualisation tools and reports. The sessions aimed to gather feedback to refine the data and its presentation for broader adoption while fostering a community where educators and skills providers feel empowered to shape solutions for the future.
The workshops attracted a diverse range of organisations and professionals, including representatives from further and higher education institutions, commercial training providers, Institutes of Technology, skills bodies, awarding bodies, the Association of Colleges, and the Catapult Network. Attendees included curriculum designers, programme directors, heads of curriculum, operations directors, and future skills leads, all directly involved in shaping, validating, and assuring the quality of educational programmes to meet industry demands.
The sessions followed a structured agenda, beginning with an introduction to the WF Hub. Participants explored their current approaches to curriculum mapping and shared feedback on existing practices. Demonstrations included the WF Hub’s insights and reports, a data visualisation tool, and a real-world case study. Attendees were also introduced to the new Insights Explorer Portal and provided input on how it supports understanding future skills demands.
During discussions on curriculum mapping, participants highlighted tools currently in use, such as Skills GPT, the Skills England Dashboard, LSIP, Vector & Lightcast, EMSI, and direct industry engagement. Challenges identified included the reactive nature of curriculum development, limited ability to forecast future skills demand, slow adaptation due to high delivery costs, fragmented data systems, and unclear signals from employers. A key takeaway was the need for a unified, strategic approach for more proactive curriculum planning.
Attendees recognised the value of aligning with national and local strategies, gaining sector-specific insights, and supporting careers guidance and modular programme development. Suggestions included broadening data sources, simplifying outputs, enhancing forecasting capabilities, formalising partnerships with awarding bodies and regional authorities, and ensuring standards are future-proofed.
The new WF Hub portal and interface generated strong interest, with colleges and Institutes of Technology expressing eagerness to participate in beta testing. Participants emphasised the importance of robust validation, governance, support for re-validation of standards, integration of non-standard data sources, and processes for ongoing improvement.
Feedback from attendees highlighted the practical benefits of the Hub. George Round from Yeovil College noted the dashboard’s usefulness for proactive curriculum mapping. Donna Kenny of IOT West of England valued insights into how to apply the tools with partners. Lucy Hawkins from UCS College Group highlighted the Hub’s role in informing curriculum planning, facilitating conversations with employers, and enhancing collaboration. Micaela Owen and Claire Arbery from NCC emphasised the Hub’s ability to engage the right stakeholders, address future technologies, and align educational solutions with employer needs. Darran Marks of Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology stressed the importance of supporting higher technical skills development in the workforce.
The workshops have been pivotal in guiding the WF Hub’s direction. The feedback gathered will inform new tools and features, ensuring responsiveness to the evolving needs of educators, skills providers, and industry partners. Steve Picker, Technical Lead at the WF Hub, highlighted the Hub’s role in capturing insights on how technology impacts organisational capabilities and preparing the workforce with the right skills. Emily Brennan, Communications Manager, noted that the programme is critical for enabling mass technology adoption in the UK by closing the gap between skills development and demand signals.
