Teachers have finally nailed who’s who in their cohort, brand new jumpers are piling up in lost property and summer lie-ins feel like a distant memory. But the start of the 2026/27 year brings some fresh challenges, too. Today, many teachers will be familiar with the AI paradox: how quickly it’s embedding itself in the rhythm of students’ daily lives versus the need for human skills and critical thinking that will ensure they use it wisely, and to best effect.
Educators now have a tricky balance to strike: how to help students harness AI without letting chatbots do all their thinking for them. In response to this, Barclays LifeSkills, supported by Atlassian Williams F1 Team has launched a new competition for schools, colleges, universities and youth groups, to inspire young people to build the skills employers need as AI transforms the world of work. Accelerate Your Skills uses practical activities to help 11- to 25-year-olds apply AI responsibly to real-world challenges while simultaneously developing the human-centric skills they’ll need to thrive in the years ahead, such as communication, creativity and critical thinking.
Which is why we’ve launched the Barclays LifeSkills Accelerate Your Skills challenge. We want to help young people build the human skills and experience that employers are saying are more important than ever to be able to confidently and practically work alongside AI,” says Kirstie Mackey, Barclays head of citizenship, UK and Europe. Accelerate Your Skills arrives at a time when many young people face a rapidly changing world of work.
In May, the number of young people considered NEET (those aged 16-24 not in education, employment or training) surpassed 1 million for the first time in a decade, with a recent report by Alan Milburn, a former cabinet minister turned social mobility adviser, warning the UK is “at risk of a lost generation”. This uncertainty is reflected in young people’s confidence about entering the workplace. Recent research from Barclays found that fewer than a third of working age people are confident they understand the skills employers are looking for as AI and technology is more widely used in the workplace.
The more equipped they feel with the right skills, the more motivated and ambitious they can become about their future, helping them take positive steps towards rewarding careers and long-term success.” Teachers needn’t worry about shoehorning Accelerate Your Skills into an already-crammed start-of-year timetable. Barclays LifeSkills has made it as easy for you as possible to enter, with a leaders’ toolkit packed with guidance and ready to use in class activities. To raise awareness of Atlassian Williams F1 Team and turn young people into fans.
Participants will need to research and brainstorm ideas, using generative AI as a wingman while they steer towards their best creative idea. Throughout the process, students will develop their communication, creativity, critical thinking, adaptability, ethical reasoning and problem-solving skills – combining their human skills with smart use of generative AI. James Vowles, team principal for Atlassian Williams F1 Team, says they have always been driven by innovation, teamwork and the relentless pursuit of performance.
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