First group completes in-person stage of new course to tackle UK’s space sector skills gap
A new course, designed to address the shortage of skills in software, data, and AI within the UK space industry, has seen its first group complete their in-person stage of the course.
The Securing the future of space: Space Software and Data/AI CPD programme, funded by the UK Space Agency, was delivered by experts from the Space South Central partnership of universities of Portsmouth, Southampton and Surrey,
The 10-week programme combined online and in-person lectures, practical exercises, and mentoring opportunities. Participants gained not only technical proficiency, but also developed a deep understanding of the strategic implications of these digital technologies for their organisations. As well receiving comprehensive training in digital space and AI technologies, delegates learnt how to structure and respond to space-related funding opportunities.
The cohort is now moving on to bespoke projects to develop and test their skills further.
Dr Becky Canning, Deputy Director (Space) at the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, said: “It’s been a real privilege to work with colleagues in the South Central region to run this course. It’s vital that we support the career development of professionals in the space sector and to guide them through a complex and ever-evolving landscape of data from space and about space.”
This stage of the course concluded with a 3-day in-person intensive session covering cybersecurity threats, embedded systems, real-time processing and bid writing at the University of Portsmouth.
As well as providing them with the expertise needed to strategically navigate the rapidly changing fields of AI and data-science, delegates also enjoyed an evening at the Mary Rose Museum and a tour of Metaverse VR, based in Portsmouth.
Delegates ranged from current space sector employees looking for career advancement, as well as professionals from outside the sector, who want to direct their talent towards the fast-growing space industry.
Dr Louise Butt, Director of the Space South Central regional space cluster, said: “This course is crucial to ensure that our region stays at the forefront of the UK space industry, by supporting the development of training opportunities and helping employers of all sizes attract and retain the staff they need. By fostering collaboration between education providers and industry, we are making it easier for appropriate training to be developed that responds directly to business needs and enables talent to thrive.”
Whether you’re a space sector company looking to upskill your employees or an individual from any sector seeking training to take the next exciting step in your career, register your interest for future course programmes by contacting Dan Smith: daniel.smith@port.ac.uk
