Techskills awards SoftSkillingIt with “Work Ready by Tech Industry Gold” accreditation status

•  A landmark first: SoftSkillingIt becomes the first non-technical, non-academic programme to achieve the prestigious employer-led standard: Work Ready Tech Industry Gold accreditation
• Why it matters: This employer-led accreditation recognises that human skills are not supplementary to technical capability. They are inseparable from it. No longer optional, these are the capabilities that determine and shape how people truly thrive at work in the age of AI

• What it means: Learners who complete SoftSkillingIt develop the confidence, clarity and professional capability to make a real impact to organisations and in response to industry demand 

London, 10 June 2026: Techskills today announces a landmark expansion of Tech Industry Gold  awarding Work Ready accreditation to SoftSkillingIt, the first non-technical and non-academic programme to achieve the employer-led standard. 

Today’s announcement reflects a deliberate and significant step: recognising that demonstrable human - often known as ‘soft’ - skills: critical thinking, communication, emotional intelligence, adaptability, resilience are not a supplement to technical capability. They are inseparable from it.

As AI reshapes every industry, employers are placing greater value on the human skills that technology cannot replace. These skills are increasingly essential for effective collaboration, leadership and decision-making in fast-changing work environments.

What this means for employers
For employers, the significance is practical and long overdue. Identifying technical capability is relatively straightforward, qualifications, certifications and portfolios provide clear signals. But identifying the human capabilities that determine whether someone actually thrives in a role has always been harder to evidence at the point of hiring. 

Tech Industry Gold’s accreditation process, the same rigorous, employer-led process applied to degree apprenticeships and university programmes  now provides an independent, trusted signal for exactly those capabilities.

 A candidate who holds a Work Ready by Tech Industry Gold credential has not simply completed a course. They have had their professional skills assessed against a standard that industry itself has set and believes in.

What this means for learners 
For learners, this accreditation changes what is possible. The professional development that builds these capabilities, the coaching that sharpens critical thinking, strengthens communication and builds the confidence to lead  has largely been the preserve of those already inside well-resourced organisations, or those whose employers could afford it. SoftSkillingIt makes that quality of development available to any learner, anywhere, at any stage of their career. 

The evidence is clear: human skills are now a strategic priority  and industry needs a way to identify them
This accreditation aligns with widespread industry consensus on the necessity of soft skills. The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 underscores a significant shift in demand toward soft skills in an AI-driven landscape highlighting that 63% of surveyed employers identify skills gaps as the predominant barrier to transformation.  

LinkedIn’s Skills on the Rise list, notes that “employers are increasingly prioritising skills over degrees, job titles or linear career paths” and that “People skills matter more than ever,” highlighting the importance of communicating with clarity, particularly during periods of uncertainty, as technology becomes more embedded in everyday work.

Lorna Willis, CEO of Techskills, commented on the announcement: "We are incredibly proud to award SoftSkillingIt with Work Ready by Tech Industry Gold accredited status.

“Tech Industry Gold has always stood for a simple but powerful belief: that education and training should be directly relevant to what industry actually needs. Today, we are expanding that belief in a way that feels both significant and overdue.  

“For the first time, Tech Industry Gold recognises a non-technical and non-academic programme. That is not a small decision. It reflects something we have heard consistently from employers: the candidates who stand out are not always those with the strongest technical grades. They are the ones who think clearly under pressure, communicate with confidence, collaborate effectively, adapt and lead when things change.”

Julia Streets MBE, CEO of SoftSkillingIt, Founder of Streets Consulting, and Advisory Council member of Jobs2030, added: “SoftSkillingIt was created from years of conversations advising startups, scaleups and global organisations. One challenge came up again and again: people are often technically brilliant, but haven’t always had the opportunity to build the ‘soft skills’ needed to thrive professionally. 

“We have a very clear mission, to democratise access to soft skills learning and achieving Work Ready by Tech Industry Gold accredited status is a huge step forward in achieving this ambition. This means that anyone, anywhere can invest in their soft skills. Access to this learning no longer becomes the advantage of the few. Not everyone is in a position to be invited into training rooms, rooms that are not always ideal learning environments for all. This way every learner, from school leavers to senior executives, can invest in developing these skills - in business, as part of their studies, even on their own. We are immensely proud to receive this prestigious accreditation.”

- ENDS -

Notes to editors 

About the Accredited Programme: SoftSkillingIt
SoftSkillingIt is a fully online, one-month course designed to help people build the practical human skills needed to succeed in modern working life. Through bite-sized approx 15-minute modules, learners develop skills including critical thinking and problem solving, emotional intelligence, communication, teamwork, adaptability and resilience. These skills are increasingly essential for effective collaboration, leadership and decision-making in fast-changing work environments.

Built around real-world workplace scenarios, the course is relevant for people at every stage of their career, from students and early-career professionals to managers, founders and senior leaders, across both technical and non-technical roles. This practical approach extends beyond the course, with SoftSkillingIt sharing accessible tips and insights across its social media channels, where content has been viewed more than 3.5 million times.

To find out more about the course and sign up, visit https://www.softskillingit.com/ 

About Tech Industry Gold
Tech Industry Gold is the industry accreditation for tech and digital, recognising education and training for its quality and relevance to careers. It is managed by the employer skills body Techskills.

Programmes carrying Tech Industry Gold accreditation meet industry standards for the holistic blend of technical, business, project and professional skills needed for job readiness. Individuals achieving Tech Industry Gold Credentials have had their skills certified to these industry standards. 

About Techskills
Techskills brings together employers and educators in partnership to develop the digital talent industry needs. Our Employer Board brings together industry leaders from across the economy, including Commerce Decisions, IBM, Tata Consultancy Services, Lloyds, BT, Amazon Web Services, Department for Business and Trade, TechSheCan, Cisco, Evri, Aeon Nexus, EY, Smart Start Careers, Barclays, Reed Talent Solutions, Elvorix, CGI, dnata, Ministry of Justice, STACK Infrastructure, Nicola Drury Consulting Ltd, SAS, Cynergy Bank, Vulse, BBC, Omnissa, Leaders Romans Group, Capula and NHS England.

Our mission is to create and promote industry-valued pathways into digital careers. We want to realise a future where people across all areas of society can thrive in tech, whether starting out, upskilling or changing careers. We promote diversity in the tech workforce and enable people from all walks of life to achieve their full potential.

We are the not-for-profit, employer-led organisation responsible for Tech Industry Gold, the industry accreditation for education and training relevant to digital and tech careers. We are recognised as a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) for the accreditation of degrees.

Techskills is a techUK company. techUK is the trade association which brings together people, companies and organisations to realise the positive outcomes of what digital technology can achieve.