Employability Programmes
What is a Employability Programme?
Employability programmes are courses and opportunities that help you to be more employable! They are usually aimed around building confidence and self-awareness and developing key skills for the workplace while supporting you to gain qualifications like Maths, English and Digital skills as well as helping you onto your next step.
They are usually available in two types, one for 16 - 18s, the other for over 18s. There may also be other restrictions. They can last a few months to a few weeks and often include unpaid work experience with access to support for travel and food.
An employment programme might be right for you if you:
Meet the entry restrictions for the opportunity (age, qualifications, etc.).
Want to complete your Maths/English qualifications.
Would like to get more work experience or a taster of an industry.
Need to develop your confidence and skills before you take your next steps.
Reality Check
- You can only do an employability programme if you meet certain criteria. If you do not, then you may have to consider other options.
- You can't do a college course AND an employabilty programme at the same time.
- These opportunities can lead into apprenticeships, employment and courses - but whether they do will depend on you too!
The Prince's Trust Team programme is a great example of a programme you can do!
Funding for traineeships has been cut, but some training providers are still offering these short courses as opportunities! They are normally for 16 - 18 year olds and include a work placement alongside Maths and English qualifications.
Sector routeways are opportunities with the council with training and work placements for over 18s to kickstart long term job placements in a variety of sectors. Participants will do work based learning on topics suited to their chosen sector and in most cases take part in relevant work experience to support them into longer term employment.
As well as Team (video above) the Prince's Trust is a national charity that offers a range of support for young people aged 16 - 30 with taster courses, enterprise advice, development awards and employability programmes.
What to do next
Explore the employability programme options locally to see what is on offer: what would you get from the experience? Where could you do it? In what sector?
Get in touch with the training provider to inquire about joining their next programme
Please note: some opportunities are usually available all the way through the year (either rolling programmes or available every few months)- they're not going anywhere! If you would need to leave college to do a programme, it might be worth chatting with a careers adviser in an appointment first to see if this is the best option.
Other programmes on offer or check our providers list (below)