Over 5,000 schools able to easily access free, online learning materials

The UK is facing a much heralded digital skills crisis with the Science and Technology Committee recently warning the country risks being left behind other nations, unless more action is taken to address the problem.  To kick-start uptake of subjects that nurture these skills, analytics leader SAShas partnered with leading education technology provider RM Unify, to deliver a wide range of free, high-quality online resources.

The big data workforce is expected to grow by around 346,000 according to SAS’ research with The Tech Partnership, with demand for these jobs rising by 160 per cent from 2013 to 2020. This workforce will be a vital part of the UK economy, as big data analytics and internet of things (IoT) are expected to deliver combined revenues of £322 billion from 2015 to 2020 according to a study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).

SAS and RM Unify’s partnership gives students the building blocks to prepare them for the digital workplace of the future.  Thousands of interactive online resources covering multiple subjects on the national curriculum, including Mathematics, English and Science, are available via SAS Curriculum Pathways. These will now be available through RM Unify, which allows students and teachers to easily access all their online resources via a single platform.

“The next generation requires a solid foundation in digital skills – especially in areas like analytics, business intelligence and data management. Providing support, training and foundational knowledge for young people in schools, colleges and universities is a key piece of the puzzle,” said Geoffrey Taylor, Head of Academic Programmes at SAS UK & Ireland.

“With the SAS Curriculum Pathways programme having achieved great success across the US, we are delighted to provide UK schools with the platform mapped to the English, Scottish and Welsh curriculums for all age groups. With official endorsement from educational bodies, English schools have the reassurance that SAS Curriculum Pathways is an excellent tool for its teachers and students alike. Our partnership with RM Unify will ensure wider accessibility of the platform as we continue to support digital skills across England’s schools.”

Through the partnership, SAS Curriculum Pathways is now available to approximately 2,000 schools across England through RM Unify. The interactive online resources create learning environments that would otherwise be difficult to achieve in the classroom setting. Students use the digital resources independently to supplement teacher-led activities, resulting in meaningful learning experiences that foster a deep, robust understanding of concepts.

“We are delighted to be working with SAS to broaden the wide range of online resources we provide to English schools,” said Ben Mallard, Product Manager at RM Unify. “SAS Curriculum Pathways is the only offering of its kind in the marketplace. At zero cost, the high quality of its content, such as virtual science labs where experiments can be conducted, is unmatched. It covers the key foundations needed by today’s students to build digital-savvy careers and ensure they don’t get left behind in the global marketplace.”