CareerTech Challenge is an ambitious innovation programme led by Nesta and Nesta Challenges in partnership with the Department for Education.

The programme focuses on stimulating new solutions for precarious workers, such as workers in low-paid, insecure work that's susceptible to change, to upskill and retrain online. It also focuses on improving access to accurate data-driven information, advice and guidance to help these people find work. In this project update, we hear from CENTURY one of the innovations shortlisted for the £5.75 million CareerTech Challenge.

CENTURY is an award-winning AI education technology company, whose teachers, neuroscientists and technologists develop world-leading AI tools for schools and colleges.

We've been pivoting the existing product, which focuses on school-age learners, to provide a personalised learning journey for adults. It focuses on increasing learner motivation through the use of AI-powered personalised learning. We've also developed and refined both the content and features of the platform. Through thorough user testing we've iterated the product to ensure it maximises learner motivation for the user.

CENTURY has developed new key features which allow adult users to sign-up, access the platform and complete a course. Through this project, we've provided licences for adults looking to take Functional Skills Maths and English courses for Level 1-2 and access for learners enrolled with Adult Education providers.

As an online learning tool, CENTURY has experienced increased demand as a result of COVID-19. Since March, we've offered free access to thousands of schools and families who have been affected by school closures. We've also been able to quickly adapt development timelines and conduct user testing remotely thanks to a network of existing colleges with adult learners.

Over the next six months, CENTURY will focus on releasing several new features to improve learner motivation. The first of these will be a new learner analytics feature to promote independence, reflection and autonomy over their learning experience. The second will be introducing micro-credentialing and elements of gamification to motivate learners. We'll continuously iterate these features based on user testing and feedback, as well as continuing to recruit learners onto the platform, analysing their usage patterns and evaluating the impact of the tool.

For more information about CENTURY, email [email protected]

Website: www.century.tech/careertech

Twitter: @CENTURY_tech

Instagram: @centurytechlearning