Upskiller
Learn by building.
Met someone wearing this?
They're an Upskiller. They're building a real project with a small team at The Upskilling Labs, over a twelve-week Build Cycle.
- Learning by building. No curriculum and no grades: a real project, on a problem people face.
- Beside people at every level. Beginners and experts, on the same team.
- A role, not a certification. The button says they're building this cycle.
You'd meet one at a workshop, with their Pod at the public library, or at the Showcase, where every team shows what it made. Ask them what they're building.
Free. Twelve weeks, in person: heaviest in month one and before the Showcase, steady in between.
Fall 2026 starts Oct 13. Apply from your account.
Draft. A draft for review. The roles and their details aren't final until the board approves them.
What they do
Three months. One real thing.
01First
Find a Pod.
In month one, Pods of nine or more form around a problem situation. Everyone lands in one.
02Then
Build it.
As the Pod reframes the problem and proposes projects, teams of three to five form. Each team builds one thing.
03One day
Show it at the Showcase.
Every team shows its work in public, and keeps it going as open source.
Could this be you?
Simple, on purpose.
Free, always.
Workshops and Build Cycles cost nothing.
In person, near you.
Evenings at your local public library, with some sessions online.
No lectures.
You learn by building, beside beginners and experts.
Heavy, steady, heavy.
Month one and the run-up to the Showcase are the busiest; the middle is steady.
How it works
Start small. Finish with something real.
01
Create your account.
Your free Upskilling account: sign in with Google. You get Slack and events, and you can apply.
Your Upskilling account
02
Come to a workshop.
Free and hands-on. Most people start here.
03
Apply for a Build Cycle.
Places are limited. New this cycle: your Upskiller button when you start.
Your button04
Find your Pod, then your team.
Pods of nine or more form around a problem; teams of three to five form around the projects you propose. Mentors help when you're stuck.
05
The Showcase.
Show what you built, in public.
Starts with your free Upskilling account.
The button
Proof you're building.
New this cycle: given to you when you start a Build Cycle. Wear it to your Pod, and to the Showcase.
Other roles
Which role is right for you?
Every role starts with your free Upskilling account. Wear more than one button if you like.
Upskiller
Learn by building a real thing, on a team.
Twelve weeks
You're here
Ambassador
Help the right people find The Labs.
A few conversations and one talk
Learn more about Ambassador→
Poderator
Keep a Pod together, first night to the Showcase.
One Build Cycle
Learn more about Poderator→
Mentor
Help a Pod when it gets stuck.
A single workshop, or a whole cycle
Learn more about Mentor→
Questions
Questions you might have.
Does it cost anything?
No. Workshops and Build Cycles are free.
How much time does a Build Cycle take?
Twelve weeks. It's heaviest in month one, while Pods form, and again before the Showcase, and steady in between.
Is it taught?
Not the way you might expect. There are no lectures or grades: workshops teach skills, your Pod is where you practise, Mentors help when you're stuck, and you teach what you learn.
Will it get me a job?
It's not job placement. You leave with credited open-source work, an audience at the Showcase, and people who've built with you.
What if I don't find a team?
Everyone lands in a Pod. Month one feels uncertain for most people; that's how Pods and teams form.
Do I need to be technical?
No. Beginners and experts work side by side, and you learn by doing.
Where do I start?
Create your free account, then drop into a workshop. When applications are open, you apply from your account.
Why start with an account?
Everything at The Labs runs through one free Upskilling account: workshops, Build Cycles and every role. Create it once by signing in with Google, and add paths whenever you like.
Come build with us.
Start with your free account and a workshop. Then apply for the next Build Cycle.
Join The LabsStarts with your free Upskilling account.