
Preparing the Next Generation
Smart Skills Academy is the perfect companion to your academic journey, offering young people the opportunity to build essential digital skills that often go untaught in traditional classrooms.
Whether you're crafting essays, creating presentations, or preparing for university and the workplace, our practical, step-by-step video tutorials will help you master Microsoft Office tools like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint with confidence.
The course is completely self-paced, easy to follow, and fits seamlessly around your studies and extracurricular commitments.
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

Addressing Employer Expectations
Employers increasingly seek candidates with advanced Microsoft Office skills. In the business services sector, there’s a notable shortage of applicants proficient in these tools.
Furthermore, 69% of UK business leaders report facing a digital skills gap within their organizations, emphasizing the need for early and effective digital skills training.
AI skills that will set you apart.
AI is already changing the way people work — and by the time today's students enter the workplace, it will be an expectation, not an advantage. Yet most schools and colleges aren't teaching it. That means the young people who take the initiative to learn AI skills now will walk into interviews and first roles with something most of their peers simply don't have.
Microsoft Copilot is built directly into the Office tools already used in most workplaces and universities. Knowing how to use it effectively — to draft documents, analyse data, build presentations, and write prompts that get real results — is the kind of practical, demonstrable skill that stands out on a CV and impresses in an interview.
How Smart Skills Academy helps:
My AI Essentials course is designed for complete beginners. There's no technical background required — just a curiosity to learn and the willingness to try. In just two hours, you'll go from "I've heard of AI" to confidently using it inside Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in ways that will save you time and make your work stand out from day one.
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 valuable addition to your CV or personal statement.



