The OpenLearn course Discovering Computer Networks has been included in the UK Government Digital Skills Toolkit for furloughed workers. The Digital Skills Toolkit is a collection of training resources, including courses from Google, FutureLearn and the Open University, aiming to help people acquire digital skills for improving their employability. This online training initiative will be preparing the nation for the post-virus economy, in which digital-related jobs are expected to be more resilient than other occupations.

The OpenLearn course teaches how computer networks operate and allows learners to practice using an inbuilt network simulator to create their own simulated computer networks. The course has been built around the PT Anywhere network simulator, which has been jointly developed by the Open University and Cisco. Alexander Mikroyannidis, who is leading the PT Anywhere initiative, sees this development as “a recognition of the effort we have put as a team in developing a world-class educational tool and high-quality learning materials for anyone to use”.