City & Guilds Futures

Give learners a taste of success through digital credentials that build confidence, celebrate progress and showcase their potential.

Unlocking brighter futures for young people

City & Guilds Futures gives providers a flexible way to recognise the behaviours, attitudes and achievements that help learners build confidence, stay engaged and move forward.

Nearly a million young people aged 16 to 24 in the UK are not currently in education, employment or training (NEET). Behind every person is a different story. For providers, it can mean supporting a young person who has disengaged from education, lost confidence or is struggling to see what comes next. In our Employability Report a survey of over 1,000 18–24-year-olds found that only 44% feel confident they have the employability skills needed to succeed in work, while those who are NEET have the lowest confidence levels of any young people surveyed.

For young people who are NEET, or at risk of becoming NEET, the right support at the right time can make all the difference. Futures helps providers re-engage learners by recognising the small but important steps that build confidence, motivation and employability. Developed in partnership with Leeds College of Building, Futures has been shaped around the real needs of providers and learners, ensuring it is practical, relevant and effective in supporting young people’s progress. The flexible digital credentials are designed to celebrate progress and helps young people see what they’re capable of.

futures plus work experience digital badge

The NEET challenge and why early intervention matters

For some people, staying engaged in education and training can be challenging. Attendance, behaviour, confidence, motivation and other barriers can all affect their ability to participate and progress.

Identifying young people at risk early gives providers an opportunity to act before they disengage completely.

The Risk of NEET Indicator (RONI) approach can help schools, colleges and training providers identify people who may be at risk of becoming NEET.

But identifying risk is only the first step. Young people also need to feel that their progress matters.

For someone who has stopped believing education is for them, success can start with something small. Showing up consistently. Getting involved. Building confidence. Keeping going when something feels difficult.

Re-engage young people and help them move forward

Give learners the recognition, confidence and motivation they need to reconnect with learning and take their next step.

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City & Guilds Futures

Recognising the behaviours that support young people’s next steps

Futures is a set of flexible digital credentials designed to motivate and support young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET. It sits alongside your existing provision, including transition and study programmes, with no changes to your curriculum or additional content to deliver. Use the learning activities and evidence your programme already generates to recognise progress throughout the learner journey.

Futures is designed to:

Recognise achievements and positive behaviours that help learners see what they can achieve.
Celebrate progress to help learners stay motivated and connected to learning.
Build the behaviours and attributes that support progression into further learning, employment and life.
Use digital credentials to recognise achievements and showcase developing strengths.

Boost engagement

Build confidence

Make progress visible

Develop employability

Choose the credentials that fit

Select from a series of digital credentials to recognise key moments which can support success in education, employment and life.

The credentials focus on the behaviours and attributes employers value and are looking for, including:

Dependability: turning up, being on time and being ready

Communication: listening, asking and explaining

Thinking and judgement: solving the problem in front of you

Drive and engagement: wanting to succeed and keeping going

Growth and self-management: owning your actions and next steps

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The Employability Framework supports individuals throughout their lifelong learning journey. It starts with those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) helping to re-engage with learning and overcome barriers to progression.

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ESOL Skills for Life is a suite of qualifications designed to support speakers of other languages based within the UK to develop their English language skills for work, further learning or everyday life.

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