One of the great things about living in Plymouth is that there are lots of opportunities for people to develop new skills, different training and education options, and lots of ways to gain experience to find your dream job or career. Whether you are thinking about a new career, considering a lifestyle change, or need support more generally, there’s lots of local support on offer. 
Below are some of the latest opportunities – including some great events that you can attend for free! If anything catches your eye, simply get in touch by emailing skillslaunchpad@plymouth.gov.uk, or texting 07917 264736.
Upcoming Events
Arts University Plymouth, Applying to Arts
If you are looking to study a creative degree, an online event is the perfect way to get a sense of what to expect.
You can chat to the Admissions team and get advice on the application process. You will also be able to speak to Student Finance, and talk to tutors about how to submit your portfolio.
This event offers the perfect chance to ask any questions that you may have about UCAS, entry requirements and interviews.
When: Every Monday in July
Time: 3-4.30pm
Where: Online – To book your place, email hello@aup.ac.uk, or you can register by clicking here
City College Plymouth – Open Day
City College Plymouth is one of the leading providers of vocational, professional and technical training in the South West. The Open Day in August will showcase the hundreds of fantastic courses that they have on offer.
When: Friday 25 August
Where: Kings Road, Devonport, PL1 5QG
Time: 10am-1pm
Construction and the Built Environment Drop in
Interested in joining construction and the built environment but not sure where to start? Drop into the weekly Building Plymouth Job Shop where you can meet our Construction Coordinators Morv and James, find out about the latest skills, training, education, apprenticeships and jobs available locally, and how we can help connect you with local construction sites.
When and where:
Every Tuesday, 10am-4pm, Skills Launchpad Plymouth in Barclays, city centre
Health and Care Drop in
Whether you have a strong background in the care sector, or you simply feel that it may be a good match for you, drop in and speak to our Health and Care Co-ordinators Jack and Lauren about the latest training and employment opportunities.
When and where:
Every Tuesday, 10am-4pm, Skills Launchpad Plymouth in Barclays, city centre
Access Pre-Employability Support
We work with some great organisations that support adults to prepare for work or changing careers, so if you would like some impartial careers advice and guidance, support with your CV, cover letters and/or interview prep, we can help.  
National Careers Service
For help preparing for jobs, you may like to get started by booking a free appointment with the local National Careers Service team. Barbora supports the Skills Launchpad Plymouth team in providing face-to-face support for anyone 19+. She can help you to make decisions on learning, training and work at ALL stages of your career and best of all… it’s FREE!
The Prince’s Trust
From a five-day employability course to 12-week team programmes, how to start your own business and more, if you are aged 25-30 and not in full-time training or employment, the Prince’s Trust can help.
Latest opportunities include:
Get into I.T – This is a FREE online programme with Google.Org and Inco Academy. You will get to receive an industry recognised qualification. With time for self led learning, and support and mentoring into Employment, this is a fantastic opportunity! To find out more, please call Mark on 07786381623, or email mark.rhead@princes-trust.org.uk
Get Started in Employability and Photography – This programme is designed for asylum seekers and refugees aged 16-30 who are out of work, or not in education. You will get to learn about the world of work in the UK, and the chance to learn about photography. To find out more, please call Hannah on 07484078892, or email hannah.ainsworth@princes-trust.org.uk
Enterprise – Are you aged 18-30 with a business idea? Are you looking for some support with being self employed? This online course is perfect to help get you with writing a business plan, accessing start up loans, finance, tax, marketing and sales. To find out more, please email plymouthenterpriseteam@princes-trust.org.uk
Get Started with Coaching and Personal Training – This is a FREE programme that will give you the chance to learn about fitness, coaching and training. You will get to boost your leadership and communication skills, attend nutrition, fitness and first aid workshops, as well as receiving free lunch and a ticket to Plymouth Argyle FC home game! To find out more, please email mark.rhead@princes-trust.org.uk
Upskill through training or education
It’s never too late to learn new skills. Whether your motivation is to get a job or start a hobby, Plymouth has lots of providers offering adult education - and the courses are quite often free. 
Courses range from business and coding to hair and beauty, animal care, sport and fitness, cooking, and more. Some can even help you to access university-level study. 
 
Training delivered in person 
To get started take a look at short courses with Achievement Training, City College Plymouth, On Course South West, WEA, and South Devon College, as these are just a few of the providers delivering courses face-to-face throughout the year.
Shekinah can help with short courses around wellbeing and employability related skills such as English, maths and using computers.
To find out more about their Learning Exchange Programmes, click here. Alternatively, for a safe and friendly place to find out about jobs, courses, and benefits you can drop in and see the team at Bath Street every Friday, 12.30pm-3.30pm
Skills Bootcamps are intensive nine-week skills accelerator courses that will enable adults to build up specific sector skills and fast track to an interview with a local employer. On Course South West has Bootcamps focused on content related to Digital and Green careers (here) and City College Plymouth is offering a Bootcamp in Green Skills and Retrofit Bootcamp (here).
Training delivered online
A number of our partners also offer free online courses, so why not use gain a new qualification or skill from the comfort of your own home?
Courses range from computer essentials, professional development, and digital design and marketing; to business admin, specialist care courses, and interview skills.
Get started with the links below:
Brush up on your English and maths
You may be fed up with being asked about whether you have your English and maths GCSEs, or a functional skill in numeracy and literacy, but the fact is, these skills matter and can really help you to get better jobs and earn more money in the long run. Here in Plymouth there are a number of training providers who can help. Many build it into a full-time study programme, or help you do it alongside an apprenticeship or traineeship, but you can also do your English and/or maths as a standalone course.
If it is maths you need help with, you may have heard of the Multiply project. Across Plymouth through this funding, providers such as The Focus Training Group, Real Ideas, and On Course South West and others are delivering practical maths courses to make maths more fun.
Apply for jobs
There are many reasons why you might be looking for a new job at the moment, but the great news is that there are thousands of jobs available, right now, in Plymouth.
For advice on where to apply and things to consider, click here.
Explore self-employment
Always dreamt of starting your own business? It can be both an exciting adventure and daunting, especially if you have additional barriers to overcome, such as disability or being long-term unemployed.
Outset offers start-up support to include and support everyone, working with people from a range of different backgrounds, and often with different needs. Check out their current webinar listing here.
We have added lots of information and links to support you in setting up your own business in our Resource Bank here and we also suggest checking out the upcoming courses with SMART Skills, the National Careers Service, On Course South West, the Prince’s Trust and City College Plymouth that can help you with starting your own business.
Apply for apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are real jobs with training. They start all year round and are not just for school leavers! 
You learn, gain a nationally recognised qualification, and study from Level 2 right up to degree-level, depending on the role you are working towards.  
  If you are worried about the financial side of an Apprenticeship salary, you could be entitled to claim universal credit to top you up, so don’t rule it out as an option. 
In the latest edition of Plymouth’s exclusive apprenticeship bulletin, there are 300 apprenticeship vacancies, so there are lots to choose from. Click here to see what’s available.
Access mental health support or boost your confidence
Qwell
Qwell is a free digital mental health and wellbeing service that is now available to adults in Plymouth. Delivered by mental health provider Kooth, Qwell aims to help people manage their own emotional health and wellbeing, offering everyone aged 18 or over anonymous and confidential support. 
 
This safe online space, helps adults to access therapeutic activities, with a peer support community, self-help articles and forums and discussion boards moderated by qualified practitioners. Users can also keep an online journal and monitor their wellbeing via an interactive goal tracker. This will be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is also a one-on-one live text chat and messaging counselling service with a team of qualified practitioners. See for yourself, click here for Qwell.
Improving Lives Plymouth
This is a great support organisation offering various peer support groups including one to help people manage long term health conditions and one for people with learning disabilities to develop independence in a safe space. Find out more here.
Routes to Grow
Loneliness can affect us all, at any time of our lives. We might live in a busy city or a rural location, on our own or with others and still feel isolated. Routeways has set up a drop-in service to help combat loneliness – a cuppa and some company and a chance to get involved with their lovely garden within Devonport Park. Explore Routes to Grow here.
Andy’s Man Club
Aiming to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health, Andy’s Man Club has created a judgment-free, confidential space where men can be open about the storms in their lives. For information on this free, weekly, peer support group for men, click here.
Headspace
Headspace is a peer-led mental health support service that is hosted at a different location every night of the week. If you are looking for someone to have a coffee and a chat with, or a 1:1 with a volunteer who has lived experienced, you may like to check this out – information here.
Devon Mind
Do you struggle with anxiety? If so, why not sign up to take part in a session to help with understanding anxiety and to learn tips and tools for managing anxiety with Devon Mind? Do you juggle raising a family and keeping up a home whilst suffering from depression? There is a range of short Zoom workshops on offer that can help you prioritise your mental health. Click here to see what’s coming up.
Shekinah
If you are aged 18+ there is so much to get involved in with Shekinah. They can help with short courses around personal development, handling stress and anger, mentoring and coaching, mental health, sexual health, as well as more employability related skills such as English, maths and using computers.
To find out more about their Learning Exchange Programmes, click here. Alternatively, for a safe and friendly place to find out about jobs, courses, and benefits you can drop in and see the team at Bath Street every Friday, 12.30pm-3.30pm
POP Community Groups 
Have you heard of POP? Their purpose is to build strong grassroots organisations, charities and social enterprises by supporting them to work together and take a lead role in creating change – and they run groups, workshops and activities that you can get involved in.  
 
Groups for men: 
activities for 50+ men 
exercise groups 
mental health support 
Groups for women:
art and crafts 
writing 
exercise 
dance 
Craft groups: 
knitting 
art 
crafts 
Other interests:  
gardening 
photography 
model building 
games 
 To view upcoming events, click here
 
Gifted Women 
Women across the UK can be caught up in a cycle of addiction, homelessness and crime, with a lack of opportunities and often a complex history of trauma and abuse at the foundation. Even when working hard to break the cycle, women can struggle to find work and support to reach their full potential.  
 
Gifted Women works to help women break this cycle, recognising meaningful employment, training and further education as key factors in lasting change.  
  Through weekly group work sessions, learn about all aspects of employability, from recruitment to resilience in the workplace and everything in between. With a significant focus on life skills, confidence building, exploring passions and ambitions and discovering the value you have to offer. 
Get in touch to find out more about this programme. 
Art, Craft and Laughter
Life can sometimes be overwhelming and having a space to be able to go, take timeout and breathe might just be what you need.
Art, craft and laughter are offering mental health, wellbeing art and craft groups.
Search ‘Art, craft and laughter’ on Facebook or Instagram.
For more information on accessing mental health support in Plymouth, click here.
Volunteer
Volunteering is a fantastic way to test out different jobs to find out what you prefer, as well as helping you to gain experience and develop soft skills that are useful in all careers. You may also choose to volunteer as a way to give back and share your skills and experience with others.
Plymouth has lots of great volunteering opportunities with organisations including: University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, St John's Ambulance, Age UK Plymouth, Elder Tree Befriending, Trevi, Shekinah, The Box, Barnardos, Devon Mind, The Zone, Devon Wildlife Trust, Gables, Devon and Cornwall Police, Ocean Discovery Rangers, National Marine Aquarium, Clean Our Patch, Nature Plymouth, Citizens Advice Plymouth and Moor Trees.
You can also explore vacancies broadly by visiting Volunteering | PLYMOUTH.GOV.UK or https://govolunteering.co.uk/
Opportunities vary from helping people, animals and children, to admin, retail and customer Service. There are also environmental opportunities outdoors, or in nature/gardening, right through to media, history and fundraising. What a great way to develop your skills and meet new people?!
Click here for more links via our resource bank, or here for volunteering specific to the health and care sector
Opportunities in Construction
The construction industry is booming. If you want to find out about the latest skills, training, education, apprenticeships and jobs available locally, your first stop should be the Construction and the Built Environment Drop-in. Based in Barclays, Armada Way, this session is open to anyone, just drop in on a Tuesday between 10-4pm.
You may also like to look at upcoming short courses and accreditations for new and experienced tradespeople with:
New to construction?
Why not check out Greenlight Training or CTSW’s two-week pre-employment courses? Both will give you a great opportunity to develop your skills and get a feel for what you enjoy.
Alternatively, the Sherford Training Programme can help you gain a week’s onsite training and experience, and the chance to gain your CSCS card.
Check out City College Plymouth’s Green Skills and Retrofit Bootcamp – Click here
Get Hard Hat Ready with Kier and City College Plymouth
Like the idea of being part of the South West’s booming construction industry? Kier and City College Plymouth are running a five week Hard Hat Ready programme.
The course will cover:
Bricklaying
Plastering
Painting and Decorating
Carpentry
Plumbing
Health and Safety
CSCS card
These courses start monthly. If you would like to take advantage of this fantastic FREE programme, please click here and search using code SRHHR.
Opportunities in health and care
There has never been a more important time for the health and social care sector, and there continues to be a shortage of workers, particularly in the home care sector. Whether you have a background in care or a feeling that you may be good at it, there are lots of ways to find out more.
Drop into our Health and Social Care Drop-in, every Tuesday between 10-4pm in Barclays, Armada Way.
The Health and Social Care Skills Accelerator Programme (HASSAP) offers free and flexible courses from entry-level to level 5 which are delivered in Plymouth by On Course South West. Choose from online and face-to-face courses including Understanding Autism, Medication Training, Safeguarding Vulnerable People and Counselling Skills.
Check out the Council’s Home Care Assistant campaign here and register your interest for a call back.
Explore the jobs and volunteering opportunities available with Livewell South West here.
It’s also worth exploring the e-learning section above, as there are lots of free online courses you can do to develop skills for the health and social care sector.
For more information on all things health and care, please click here for our most recent health and care opportunity mailer.
Find out more…
For information about any of our partner programmes, simply e-mail skillslaunchpad@plymouth.gov.uk, or visit http://www.skillslaunchpadplym.co.uk to sign up as a member and one of the team will contact you.