The College of West Anglia has secured ESF funding of £2.8m to develop a bold package of measures to encourage people, who are already in employment, to improve their skills.
The college is working in partnership with 5 other colleges across Norfolk and Suffolk to deliver a wide range of innovative training and support which will help employers in the New Anglia LEP area, in a bid to boost the economy. Employees working for companies that employ less than 250 staff will be the main beneficiaries, and the training will be targeted particularly at young adults, aged 19 and over.
As Susie Massen, Head of Work Based learning and Project Manager at the College, explains:
‘The concern is that currently too many workers lack skills at the right level to respond to anticipated labour market changes. This funding offers an exciting opportunity for the College and its partners to address this problem and it will benefit workers in Norfolk and Suffolk. Our focus is predominantly on younger members of the workforce and our aim is to develop their skills so that they can contribute more to the economy, and advance their career prospects. The consortium’s emphasis will be on improving skills in areas that will ensure the best future business growth. We will be developing new, innovative training and support solutions so that as many people as possible can benefit.’
The consortium consists of 5 other partners from across the Norfolk and Suffolk who will be involved in delivering the training and support.
Older workers over 50, especially those with no formal qualifications, will also benefit and be offered the opportunity to retrain and update their skills. In addition local employers that are eligible for funding will receive assistance through a full skills health check. Workers will also have increased access to information, advice and guidance, to allow them to make informed decisions about their career goals and next steps.
Full information on the funding can be found on this factsheet
