A groundbreaking programme that enables educators to unlock the creative potential of UK apprentices and small businesses has officially launched nationwide.
The initiative builds on the success of the Greater Manchester Innovation Literacy Programme which develops apprentice confidence, collaboration and communication skills, and empowers them with practical tools and techniques in a short course accredited by OCN London and mapped to the new Innovation, Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Skills Framework
The Innovation Literacy Launchpad is a nationally accredited training programme that aims to break down barriers to innovation for SMEs. Funded by Innovate UK, this national expansion of the programme positions Further Education colleges and providers such as Institutes of Technology as active partners in a new, national, inclusive innovation ecosystem.
The new Pilot adopts a ‘train the trainer’ method to expand an inclusive approach to business innovation and skills development. Delivery partners will be supported and provided with free resources to inspire and enable apprentices to lead change within their organisations and contribute to cutting-edge innovation, while employers benefit from enhanced internal innovation capacity.
A number of organisations have already signed up to the initiative including Aryshire College, South Devon College, South Hampshire College Group and West College Scotland.
Naomi Smith, Director of LSIF Projects at South Hampshire College Group commented, “South Hampshire College Group are absolutely delighted to be partnering on the forward-thinking innovation programme, providing unique opportunities for our learners and driving productivity and economic growth in the Solent Region. We are committed to creating better futures and driving innovation collaboratively.”
Paul Fagan, Head of Enterprise and Employability, West College Scotland said, “West College Scotland is delighted to be selected as an early adopter of the Innovation Literacy Launchpad’s ‘Train the Trainer’ programme. We recognise the value of placing apprentices at the heart of workplace innovation, and this initiative marks a significant step forward in enabling us to work with companies to embed innovation in an engaging and sustainable way. We look forward to putting into action the valuable work developed by Coral and her team across Greater Manchester Colleges, and we are excited to deliver a high-impact Innovation Literacy initiative for apprentices across the West of Scotland—particularly within small and medium enterprises.”
Coral Grainger, GMColleges Innovation Project Director, explained, “By piloting and evaluating these models of collaboration in education, the Innovation Literacy Launchpad will generate vital insights to guide future skills programmes and economic policy. We look forward to working with our delivery partners in this exciting initiative.”
Led by a multidisciplinary team with a proven track record in FE and business innovation, the national pilot will run from October 2025 to March 2026.
To find out more about the national programme training providers should visit https://gmcg.ac.uk/projects/innovation-literacy-launchpad/ or contact innovationliteracy@oldham.ac.uk
