Digital Skills Opportunities for Young People
There is a range of free online learning programmes and short courses that can help you improve your basic skills or focus on developing skills needed to enter the Tech Sector.
Good Things – AI Gateway
Designed to help de-mystify AI and ensure everyone has the opportunity to understand this technology, how it’s impacting online experiences and how it can be helpful to daily life.
The iDEA Award
The iDEA Award (The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award) is described as an international programme that helps you develop digital, enterprise and employability skills for free. You complete a series of online challenges and collect badges when successful. Each badge has points and 250 points gets you your Bronze Award, an industry-recognised award. Read more about it here.
Lancashire’s Skills Bootcamps
Skills Bootcamps are intensive and flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector specific skills and fast track to an interview with a local employer. You have to be 19+ to take part in one.
Designed with employers, participants will gain the in-demand skills to move into or progress in their chosen sector. Participants will be offered a GUARANTEED job interview for real job upon completion.
Bootcamps are presently available in cyber security, data analytics, digital marketing, electech and software development. More will be available later in the year.
For more information on all the available Skills Bootcamps, click here.
Lloyds Bank Academy
The Lloyds Academy is packed with free digital skills learning for any level. There is a wide range of courses available to choose from such as:
Microsoft Learn
Learn how to use AI to save time, work more efficiently and create better content with Microsoft’s free learning resources. If you’re interested in AI beyond Copilot, explore Azure AI Fundamentals or browse the wide range of free courses available on Microsoft Learn.
Networking Academy – Cisco
Free online courses for tech jobs – take courses and gain digital badges that can demonstrate your skills to potential employers. You could be curious about tech in general or ready to build your career in a specific area, courses in foundational tech topics cover areas like Cybersecurity, Networking, Python, and Data Science.
Institute of Coding – Click Start
Click Start is the Institute of Codes new nationwide training programme that aims to “give you the digital skills you need to get better pay and job opportunities.” It is designed by university experts and industry specialists, but you don’t need to be at University to access the courses. The Click Start courses cover various topics, with online and hybrid teaching options around the country.
Many of our Click Start programmes offer additional support, such as career advice and mentoring. The courses are completely FREE for eligible learners (generally between 18-30). Some are face to face but some are online. 
Sparta Education
Explorer free online training in AI, data, cloud and technology. Learn at your own pace, join live sessions and develop skills that can support future careers. The platform is designed for people a different stages of learning tech skills whether a beginner or more experienced.
Training by Google
Google Grow My Career
Grow with Google has a full library of online courses covering a wide range of topics with both interactive live webinars and in-depth courses that can take you form ‘beginner to job-ready professional’ – or Google Career Certificates. Topics covered range from AI, Cloud Computing, Cyber Security and Coding to Data and Digital Marketing.
Google Applied Digital Skills
Google Applied – 250+ hours of content for teachers to use with students to teach digital skills or can be used independently by students. Designed for all levels of ability to use.
Want to find careers information?
LMI Lancashire
LMI Lancashire is a careers portal specifically focused on Lancashire. You can explore digital and IT careers in Lancashire via the portal – click here. There is a specific page for Cyber Security.
My World of Work
My World of Work is a Scottish careers website that does a fab job of explaining the different careers in tech that are available across the UK. It is really good at looking at how these jobs happen in different sectors such as health, food and drink, energy or creative.
UK Cyber Security Council
The UK Cyber Security Council website is like a careers map for cyber security. It helps you discover different cyber jobs, learn what people do in those roles, see what skills and qualifications are needed, and find the pathway that’s right for you. Particularly look at: Cyber Careers framework and Cyber Access Network.
Cyber Security Specific Online Training Resources
1. Amazon– 15min Cyber Security Awareness Training. Fun and impactful cybersecurity training, provided by Amazon.
2. CISCO– Introduction to Cyber Security – This 6-hour self-paced introductory course takes you inside the world of cybersecurity.
3. Try Hack Me– Hands-on cyber security training through real-world scenarios. Learn cyber security with fun gamified labs and challenges.
4. Hack the Box– Cyber Security Training – Interaction courses for every skill level, ranging from fundamental to expert
5. Hacker 101– Hacker101 is a free class for web security. Whether you’re a programmer with an interest in bug bounties or a seasoned security professional, Hacker 101 has something to teach you.
6. IBM– IT Fundamentals for Cyber Security. Launch your career in Cybersecurity; acquire the knowledge you need to work in the sector. Four courses to complete – each approx 16hrs.
7. Microsoft Technologies Training– 1 Day – provides introductory level knowledge on security, compliance, and identity concepts and related cloud-based Microsoft solutions.
8. Open University– Free course of varying length from the Open University including:
– Information security
– Introduction to cyber security
– An introduction to computers and computer systems
– IT: device to device communication
– Network security
– Successful IT systems
9. SANS– SANS Cyber Access – Learn the Fundamentals of Cyber Security for free
10. Cyber Skills Live – Fun games to learn about cyber skills – including “How to Rob a Bank!” And “Code Your Own Tartan.”