The firms include major employers representing the hospitality, retail, construction and the tech startups including the likes of property company Hubble HQ and travel company, Mr & Mrs Smith.

In order to offer support for employees, the companies have committed to offer courses and content from providers including Udemy, The School of Life, Pluralsight and Codecademy through the Learnerbly platform, which has launched a service specifically tailored to furloughed workers. Many providers, including SNP, Uhubs and Thinking Space are offering free and exclusive benefits to furloughed workers.

Employees will be able to access free and ‘pay as you go’ content through the platform in topic areas like coding, AI, finance, leadership, UX design, product management – offering the opportunity to learn a new skill or develop a current one while being furloughed. 

Learnerbly also offers employees access to content and tools to support their wellbeing, from providers such as Calm and Headspace, which employers are seeing as critical throughout uncertain times.

Over 150 companies signed up to the Learnerbly furlough scheme within 24 hours of it launching, which also offers personal development plans and coaching, which will help employees set goals and stay accountable. 

At a time when businesses are being squeezed budgets for learning and development have been slashed, Learnerbly’s furlough service has been designed to bridge the gap and offer workers a chance to engage in learning development even when they’re not ‘at work’. 

Rajeeb Dey, founder and CEO of Learnerbly is urging that employers don’t let their furloughed talent go to waste: “Four million workers have already been furloughed and it’s estimated that this figure could double.  This is an unprecedented challenge for business and society and smart companies realise that it is what they do now to support workers that will have an impact in the long-term. We’re delighted to see so much enthusiasm from companies keen to invest in L&D for the long-term.

“Many furloughed workers are feeling unsettled and anxious, and have concerns about their employability in the future. Our scheme is designed to help them navigate these uncertain times, and equip them with new skills for the future.”