This one-day conference gathered together over 100 experts, policymakers and practitioners to explore new approaches to anticipate changes in the demand for skills and help people navigate into jobs that are right for them.

Through fast-paced presentations and interactive workshop sessions, the event invited guests to explore ways that novel data sources, such as online job ads, can improve careers guidance, recruitment, curriculum development and policymaking. Our goal for the day was to galvanise a collaborative, cross-disciplinary community that integrates new techniques for labour market analysis into human-centred policy and service design.

At Nesta, we believe that this approach will help reduce skills mismatches, prevent skills gaps from opening and make the world of work more inclusive.

Who is it for and why should I come?

Through collaborative, cross-disciplinary sessions, this was a unique chance to explore how novel information about jobs and skills can support you in your work. This conference was particularly relevant for:

• Policymakers, who are looking to identify sources of data and new approaches to analysis that can inform the design of effective and inclusive skills policy.
• Business leaders, who want to understand how new data science techniques can help them to anticipate the skills that businesses will need in the future.
• Education providers, who want to learn what skills employers are looking for on an ongoing basis.
• Careers counsellors, who are interested in gaining insights into new ways to read the labour market and provide targeted information to clients.
• Researchers, who are looking to find out about the latest research using labour market data, and gain a deeper understanding of the practical implications.

The event also provided an opportunity for guests to learn more about Nesta’s fund in partnership with the Department for Education, which aims to encourage the application of new technologies and methods that improve the accuracy, effectiveness and reach of careers guidance and enhance the impact of training.

Watch the videos from our guest speakers below.