In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, Scottish organisations face persistent skills shortages and growing challenges in recruiting and developing talent.
According to The Open University’s Business Barometer 2025, 56 % of Scottish businesses report skills shortages – even as only 35 % have specific initiatives in place to recruit, retain or train younger workers. This disconnect signals a strategic gap at a time when employers are striving to grow, innovate and remain competitive.
Against this backdrop, The Open University (OU) in Scotland offers a flexible and personalised approach to workforce development, moving beyond traditional training to codesign learning solutions that meet both organisational goals and adult learners’ needs.
Co-Creating Tailored Learning with Employers
A defining feature of the OU’s approach is partnership. The university works directly with employers to map learning provision against specific job families, strategic skills areas and organisational priorities. This means employers aren’t offered “offtheshelf” courses, but a tailored suite of flexible learning options – from short bitesized units to creditbearing microcredentials and full degree pathways – that are relevant to the workplace and deliver real impact.
Jane Grant, Depute Director of External Engagement and Partnerships at the OU in Scotland, explains the approach:
“We are committed to working with employers to unlock potential, for individuals, for teams and for the wider Scottish economy. Our flexible learning solutions mean people can develop skills that matter to their workplace and to their future careers.”
The emphasis on cocreation has led to deep collaboration with organisations across sectors, from heritage and conservation to environmental services, demonstrating that upskilling can be strategic, tailored and embedded within business plans, not just a boxticking exercise.
National Trust for Scotland: Mapping Skills to Roles
One standout example is the partnership with National Trust for Scotland. In alignment with the Trust’s ambition to become a learningfocused organisation, the OU has worked closely to map its broad curriculum against the Trust’s job families and key skills priorities — including leadership, communication, creativity and digital capability.
This mapping isn’t incidental. It ensures that
courses are relevant to specific roles within the organisation,
staff can easily see clear links between learning and career progression, and
training aligns with internal HR frameworks and development plans.
National Trust for Scotland staff now have access to a wide variety of options: from free, bitesized learning on the OU’s OpenLearn platform to short CPD units and accredited microcredentials. All of this is delivered online through a flexible distancelearning model, ensuring accessibility across the Trust’s geographically dispersed workforce.
This model reflects a broader OU philosophy: learning that works around people’s lives and roles, not in spite of them.
Scottish Water: Supporting Strategic ESG Skills
Another powerful example comes from the partnership with Scottish Water. As a major national utility with Net Zero and Hydro Nation strategic objectives, Scottish Water identified environmental, social and governance (ESG) knowledge as a core organisational priority. The OU collaborated with them to deliver a Combined STEM degree accessible to all employees, designed to strengthen understanding of environmental issues and digital innovation in support of organisational goals.
Craig Jackson, Senior People Consultant at Scottish Water, emphasises the value of this tailored approach:
“Scottish Water is committed to futureproofing our workforce and engaging with younger generations… The partnership with The Open University has been invaluable in this. Through learning core theory, our students are able to unpack the societal, political and environmental impacts of digital technology… needed to meet our Net Zero targets.”
This isn’t just training for training’s sake — it aligns directly with Scottish Water’s mission, embedding learning into strategic transformation and sustainability outcomes.
Voices of Learners: Impact on Individuals and Workplaces
The OU’s tailored approach produces measurable results for learners themselves, building confidence, broadening capability and contributing to organisational value.
Take Anastasia Dicks, an Aviation Security Trainer who completed six microcredentials in Business and Management with the OU. She reflects on the benefits:
“I learned a lot about myself on the successful completion of each microcredential… I feel better, so the knockon is that I can do better. I’m able to communicate effectively with different types of people in my organisation.”
Anastasia’s growth had tangible workplace impact: improved planning, team communication, and effectiveness: skills directly linked to organisational performance. Her manager notes that investing in staff capability sends a powerful message about organisational ambition and confidence.
Similarly, Lita McHale, a Community Engagement Officer, found that studying a project management microcredential helped her apply structured thinking and confidence to everyday work projects. She describes how the course “helped me build confidence in my project management abilities… useful in all aspects of my role”.
These voices illustrate how flexible, employeraligned learning doesn’t just enhance skills: it transforms attitudes and productivity, benefiting both individual careers and organisational outcomes.
Flexible Learning for Today’s Workforce
The OU’s online and distance learning model is a key enabler of tailored upskilling. By allowing learners to study around work and life commitments, organisations can invest in skills without losing productivity. This flexibility is essential in sectors where shift patterns, geographic spread or operational intensity make traditional classroom learning impractical.
Looking Ahead: Building Strategic Skills Cultures
Skills shortages are not going away; indeed, the 2025 Business Barometer made clear that employers and potential employees are increasingly recognising the need for intentional skills planning. The OU’s evidencebased, codesigned model shows a pathway for organisations to tackle these challenges headon: develop bespoke learning aligned with longterm strategic needs, embed learning into people management practices, and use flexible learning to support real change.
By working sidebyside with employers rather than simply delivering courses, the OU in Scotland is helping shape a workforce that’s not just skilled, but confident, agile and ready for the future.
