Enterprise and The Future of Work

The Enterprise and the Future of Work pathway aims to enhance students' awareness of global challenges and the skills and competences needed to develop their professional profile, professional networks and to create and manage opportunities to support their career.

Students will explore current debates and the real world of work through collaborations, research, company visits, study trips and professional development planning to foster a range of skills in enterprise, employability and professional development.

Did you know that right now, robots, machines, & algorithms account for 29% of all current work done? This is set to rise to 52% in 2025. At the same time 1.5 million people in England are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation.

The wider picture is equally daunting. We’re at risk of losing 375 million jobs worldwide by 2030.

Did you know that there are over 19,000 co-working spaces in the world today, and this figure is projected to grow exponentially in the coming years? Since communication and loneliness are the biggest challenges for remote workers, the rise and increased use of community workspaces can help tackle these challenges.

Did you know that Green job opportunities increased 8% annually over the past five years? Green jobs are jobs related to sustainability and areas of the economy engaged in producing goods and services for environmental protection purposes. The demand for green jobs is higher than ever, but a skills gap is expected by 2026.

These are some of the scenarios and global challenges faced now and increasingly in the future that will effect workers, businesses and governments.

In response to this we have developed this exciting and innovative pathway that will enhance your awareness of global challenges and help develop the skills and competences you will need to develop your professional profile and to make a positive impact on the world.

The first year will focus on some key developments: what are the societal and technology changes that are driving the future of work? What will the future worker look like? What will the changing landscape of self-employment and the gig economy mean for enterprise and entrepreneurship? And how do wider debates, such as the sustainability agenda, impact on the world of work?

The second year builds on this foundation and encourages students to focus on building professional networks and exploring the real world of work through international collaborations, company visits, study trips and professional development planning. We will continue to consider enterprise and innovation with a focus on live case studies and exploring your own creative ideas and entrepreneurial journeys.

During the final year of the pathway students will play an active role in shaping the programme and their own learning journey. By this stage students will be fully engaging with employers, alumni and other stakeholders who can support and enable professional development. The programme will include learning activities on topics and themes identified and agreed by you and there will be live challenges issued by businesses and social enterprises related to global challenges.