Preparing the next Generation
At Smart Skills Academy, we understand that every learning journey is unique — especially for home-educated teenagers. That’s why we’ve created a flexible, self-paced digital skills course designed to fit around your lifestyle, your schedule, and your goals.
Whether you’re preparing for further education, future employment, or simply want to build confidence using Microsoft Office tools like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, our step-by-step video lessons and downloadable resources will help you master practical skills at your own pace — no prior experience needed.
We will be here to hold your hand, while your confidence grows, every step of the way
55%
of 17-24 year olds cannot perform all 20
'Essential Digital Skills'.
69%
of UK leaders believe their organisation is facing a digital skills gap.
1/3
of employees believe their lack of IT skills prevent them from doing their job effectively.
Why these skills are so important
Why Microsoft Office Skills Matter for Today’s Youth
Bridging the Digital Skills Gap
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Despite growing up in a digital world, many young people leave education without the practical skills employers actually need. Research shows that 55% of 17–24-year-olds in the UK cannot perform all 20 essential digital tasks required for work — and that gap starts earlier than most people realise.
As a home educator, you have the advantage of being able to address this directly. Smart Skills Academy gives your child a structured, practical grounding in the Microsoft Office tools that appear in almost every workplace and university environment — skills that most of their peers simply won't have.
Enhancing Academic and Career Prospects
The tools your child masters today will follow them through further education and into their career. Microsoft Office proficiency is consistently ranked among the most in-demand skills across industries, and each application builds a different set of capabilities:
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Word develops the writing, editing, and formatting skills needed for assignments, reports, and professional documentation
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Excel builds analytical thinking and data confidence — increasingly valued at A-level, university, and beyond
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PowerPoint strengthens communication and presentation skills that will serve your child in interviews, university, and the workplace
These aren't just digital skills — they're transferable life skills that
complement everything else you're teaching at home.
Addressing Employer Expectations
When your child is ready to enter the workforce or apply for further education, employers and admissions teams will expect a working knowledge of Microsoft Office as standard. Yet 69% of UK business leaders report facing a digital skills gap within their organisations — meaning that young people who arrive genuinely proficient stand out immediately.
Smart Skills Academy gives your child not just the skills but also a certificate of achievement to prove them — a tangible, credible addition to any CV, personal statement, or college application portfolio.
AI skills that future-proof their education
AI is already reshaping the way people study, work, and communicate — and home-educated learners have a unique opportunity to get ahead of the curve. While most schools are still figuring out how to approach AI in the classroom, your child can be learning to use it practically and responsibly right now.
Microsoft Copilot is built into the same Word, Excel, and PowerPoint tools used in universities and workplaces across the UK. Knowing how to use AI to research, draft, summarise, and present ideas isn't just a useful skill — it's increasingly an expected one at further education level and beyond.
My AI Essentials course is designed for complete beginners and requires no technical background whatsoever. In just two hours, your child will go from curious to confident — with a certificate they can add to their personal portfolio and talk about in any interview or college application with pride.
Certificate of Achievement
Once you have completed your course you have the opportunity to sit a multiple choice exam. If you gain the required 70% pass rate you will be sent a certificate of accomplishment!
A fabulous way to showcase your skills on a CV, college application or personal portfolio.
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