FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Glasgow, United Kingdom — 3 June 2026
Education Direct Worldwide Announces Duke of Edinburgh's Award Approved Activity Provider Status
Education Direct Worldwide Ltd (SC717594), the UK-based career intelligence and learning platform, today announced that it has been awarded Approved Activity Provider (AAP) status by The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) — recognising the company's Skills Development Programme as an officially licensed activity for young people working towards their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.
The licence covers the activity scope of "Life Skills, Science and Technology" for participants in the United Kingdom.
"Becoming a Duke of Edinburgh's Award Approved Activity Provider is one of the proudest milestones in our journey," said the Education Direct Worldwide leadership team. "It validates years of work building a programme that genuinely empowers young people — not just to pass a course, but to leave with the confidence, digital skills and global outlook the modern world demands."
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A Modern Skills Programme for a Modern Generation
The Education Direct Worldwide Skills Development Programme is a structured, mentor-supported journey built specifically for young people aged 14 and over. It blends three of the most in-demand competencies of the next decade:
- Artificial Intelligence literacy — understanding, using and applying AI responsibly
- Entrepreneurship — turning ideas into real, validated ventures using frameworks like the Business Model Canvas
- Leadership & teamwork — communication, collaboration and ethical decision-making
Participants progress through tiered Bronze, Silver and Gold pathways, each with weekly modules, supervisor reviews, a portfolio of evidence, and an end-of-programme showcase. Every learner is supported by Eden, the platform's AI mentor, alongside trained human supervisors and assessors.
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What This Means for Young People
The AAP status means that hours completed on the Education Direct Worldwide Skills Development Programme can be formally logged towards the Skills section of a participant's Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
For thousands of UK young people already pursuing their DofE, this opens up a new, accredited route to develop the skills employers and universities are actively looking for in 2026 and beyond.
Key benefits for participants include:
- A UK-licensed, DofE-recognised Skills activity
- Structured weekly learning with measurable progress
- A shareable digital portfolio and certificate at completion
- Safeguarding-first delivery, including parental consent for under-18s
- Built-in accessibility tools, including an OpenDyslexic reading mode
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Empowering Young People — Learn. Lead. Inspire.
The programme is built around four pillars communicated in the official announcement campaign:
1. Build confidence and resilience 2. Develop leadership and teamwork 3. Enhance global awareness 4. Make a positive impact
These outcomes align directly with the DofE's mission to help every young person — regardless of background — develop the character, skills and experiences that shape successful adult lives.
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A UK Commitment, A Global Vision
Education Direct Worldwide is headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland, and operates across the UK and internationally through its platform at www.education-direct.com. While the DofE licence applies to UK participants, the underlying Skills Development Programme is part of a wider ecosystem that supports learners in 40+ countries with career discovery, higher-education guidance, scholarships and employability tools.
The company's mission is simple: make world-class skills, careers and higher-education guidance accessible to every young person — not just those who can afford it.
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Safeguarding, Quality and Compliance
As a licensed AAP, the programme operates under strict standards:
- Parental consent required for participants under 18
- Dedicated safeguarding and incident reporting infrastructure
- Trained supervisors, assessors and coordinators
- Full GDPR-compliant data protection and online safety policies
- Regular internal quality assurance against DofE AAP requirements
Full safeguarding, child protection and online safety policies are published openly on the Education Direct Worldwide website.
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How to Join
Young people, parents, schools and DofE Licensed Organisations can find out more and enrol in the Skills Development Programme today at:
www.education-direct.com/skills-development-programme
Schools and DofE Centres interested in offering the programme to cohorts of students can contact the team directly to discuss bulk enrolment, coordinator access and reporting.
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About Education Direct Worldwide
Education Direct Worldwide Ltd (SC717594) is a Glasgow-headquartered education technology company building the world's most accessible career intelligence and learning platform. Its tools support young people across career discovery, CV and interview readiness, higher-education applications, scholarships, IELTS preparation, and now a fully licensed Duke of Edinburgh's Award Skills Development Programme.
Press & media contact: info@education-direct.com
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Learn. Lead. Inspire. Make a difference.