Skills, Talent and Education

Nimmi Patel is the Associate Director - Skills & Talent Policy at techUK. She works on all things skills, education, and future of work policy, focusing on upskilling and retraining. She is a member of the UK government's Digital Skills Council, an external advisory body within the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), which provides expert advice and fosters collaboration to address the UK’s evolving digital skills needs and ensure the workforce is equipped for the digital economy. Nimmi is also an Advisory Board member of the Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (digit). The Centre’s research aims to increase understanding of how digital technologies are changing work and the implications for employers, workers, job seekers, and governments. Prior to joining the techUK team, she worked for the UK Labour Party and New Zealand Labour Party, and holds an MA in Strategic Communications at King’s College London and BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester. She also took part in the 2024-25 University of Bath Institute for Policy Research Policy Fellowship Programme and is the Education and Skills Policy Co-lead for Labour in Communications.

Jake has been the Policy Manager for Skills and Future of Work since May 2022, supporting techUK's work to empower the UK to skill, attract and retain the brightest global talent, and prepare for the digital transformations of the future workplace. Previously, Jake was the Programme Assistant for Policy. He joined techUK in March 2019 and has also worked across the EU Exit, International Trade, and Cloud, Data Analytics and AI programmes. He also holds an MA in International Relations from the University of Sussex, as well as a BA(Hons) in International Politics from Aberystwyth University. During his time at Aberystwyth University, he won the International Politics Dissertation Prize.

Austin leads techUK’s Education and EdTech programme, shaping strategies that support the digital transformation of schools, colleges, and universities. His work focuses on strengthening the UK’s education technology ecosystem, enhancing core technology foundations, and advancing the adoption of emerging technologies to improve educational outcomes. Austin also chairs the EdTech Advisory Panel for AI in Education, contributing to national discussions on the future of EdTech, AI, and the UK's Education system.