Introducing uSkill360: an immersive AR EdTech project to develop a new way to deliver training and upskilling in the hydrogen industry.
Why do we need hydrogen skills?
As the climate emergency grows, clean low carbon energy (like hydrogen and fuel cells) is essential to support the decarbonisation of critical industries, such as energy, transport, food and drink production. uSkill360 is a solution to industry’s pressing need for more agile, fast paced and cutting edge net zero skills training to deliver a skilled workforce of the right quantity, at the right time and in the right place.
The global hydrogen economy is expected to be worth $2.5 trillion by 2050, supporting 30 million jobs. We are making sure the workforce is ready, by closing the global and UK’s sustainability skills gap ahead of time.
To make the widespread use of hydrogen a reality, industries will require the rapid upskilling, new skilling and reskilling of hundreds of thousands of workers to deliver hydrogen to homes and businesses, and accelerate new innovations. However, there aren’t enough college lecturers, and trainers who can teach industry compatible hydrogen skills at the volumes needed.
What is uSkill360?
uSkill360 is a disruptive EdTech platform, designed to scale up volume delivery of net zero skills training using simulation-based AR, VR, AI and gamification solutions to deliver immersive ‘hands on’ industry relevant job-ready skills at the point of need. Offering online certification aligned to international awarding standards, uSkill360 cuts training costs, and reduce staff time away from the workplace to attend training.
Seamlessly bridging the digital and physical world, uSkill360 will revolutionise the way that vocational skills training is delivered, allowing people of all ages, races and abilities to learn future skills, so that everyone benefits.
Virtual delivery will be supplemented by onsite training at the Manchester Innovation Activities Hub, a new £4 million net zero industrialisation and electrification skills training centre within Manchester Science Park in addition to training of trainers.
How will we do it?
The project is led by the Blair Project, in partnership with immersive technology specialists, Fuzzy Logic Studio, the Hydrogen Skills Alliance, in addition to industry players such as Carlton Power.
The uSkill360 edtech platform will be fully functional by May 2025, offering a minimum of 10 x Level 2-3 hydrogen modules focussed on production, maintenance, and logistics technician and operator roles.
Our vision is for uSkill360 to build into the world’s ‘go to’ net zero skills training platform by 2028 offering industrial digitalisation, renewable energies, batteries and automotive electrification modules.