Skills Launchpad Plymouth
Sector Specific Recruitment Solutions
Benefits
Set up in response to employer needs there are various sector specific recruitment solutions available across the city and regionally. It is recommended that employers check with providers to find out what Bootcamps are being delivered and the timetable of future camps/dates. Across the city solutions include:
Skills Bootcamps which offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks. Participants are offered a job interview once they have successfully completed the course which is a fast track route to closing your skills gap through recruitment. It’s free to use Skills Bootcamps to recruit new employees. Bootcamps are ideal for existing and new staff to attend to upskill and improve their knowledge in specific areas relating to their jobs. If you use Skills Bootcamps to train existing employees you may be able to access funding for up to 90% of the training costs.
Sector based work Academy (SWAP) are programmes that prepare those receiving unemployment benefits to apply for jobs in a different area of work using a combination of pre-employment training. Placements are designed to help meet employers' immediate and future recruitment needs to recruit a workforce with the right skills to sustain and grow their business.
There is no direct cost to an employer for running a SWAP as training and administration costs are covered by government funding. For info, participants/ trainees remain on benefits while on a SWAP placement. The government will pay any travel and childcare costs whilst benefit claimants are on the scheme.
Your business could benefit from offering SWAP placements for the following reasons:
this is a flexible programme that can be tailored to meet employer recruitment needs
employers can recruit staff with the right training and skills from the outset, developed through fully funded pre-employment training
an opportunity to provide work experience placements for potential employees to ensure they are suited to that type of role and your company
work experience placements allow developmental opportunities for existing employees, for example by working on their mentoring, supervisory and coaching skills
reduces the risks within the overall process of recruiting new employees
an opportunity for positive publicity to show how like-minded businesses are working together to meet their social responsibilities.
Did you know?
Sector based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) can support you to create a skilled workforce for employers.
A sector-based work academy has three main components. Employers can develop their own programmes, aligned to their businesses and will need to provide:
• pre-employment training – matched to the needs of your business sector and job role (this can be arranged at no cost through a training provider)
• safe, meaningful, and high-quality work experience placement – which is a great opportunity for your business to identify talent and for the individual to cement their knowledge and understanding of the required role
• a guaranteed job interview or meaningful written feedback if an applicant is unsuccessful in applying for the vacancy (so that they can use their experience to improve future applications).
How it works in the City
If you are interested in offering a sector-based work academy, or would like further information about the services available to support your recruitment needs, you can contact the Employer Services Line by telephone on 0800 169 0178 and by email as follows:
For Plymouth (Exeter Street and Bretonside) Jobcentre Plus offices: plymouth.virtualemployeradviserteam@dwp.gov.uk
For the Devonport Jobcentre Plus office: devonportjobcentre.tamareateam@DWP.GOV.UK
Employers can also make contact by using the online enquiry form.
Localised sector support
To search for example Bootcamps please use the search function in the Skills Launchpad Plymouth which will then show programmes taking place in Plymouth.
In the city there are two local sector skills partnerships that can support your recruitment and training needs:
Firstly, for construction and the built environment, Building Plymouth is a Plymouth City Council led partnership set up to close the skills gaps and skills shortages by attracting and creating a skilled supply of people to match the demand for local construction and built environment employers.
The Building Plymouth partnership currently supports new entrants on three onsite construction training academies in the city: at the crematorium site and the Sherford Training Centre, both located on the eastern edge of the city and the North Prospect regeneration project. These onsite construction training centres connect with learners to obtain the onsite training accreditation such as the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Cards.
Working together with employers, Building Plymouth can help to source the right people for the right job and raise the employer organisation’s profile in this sector through events, activities in the local Jobcentre Plus offices and PR.
To find out more about working with Building Plymouth including how to get involved with the weekly Job Shop and recruitment events led by the dedicated construction coordinators, visit their website at www.buildingplymouth.co.uk and contact the team by emailing hello@buildingplymouth.co.uk
Additionally, for health and social care, Plymouth’s Health and Care Skills Partnership brings partners together to develop system-wide solutions and hosts weekly Job Shops as well as delivering activities in the local Jobcentre Plus offices that promotes Health and Care as a profession of choice. The Partnership addresses the workforce challenges across Plymouth and can assist employers with recruitment and retention in their business. For further information and how to be involved, please email HealthandCareSkills@plymouth.gov.uk
The current pace of change for all businesses is unprecedented with new technologies, trends, mediums, materials and techniques meaning employers are needing digital capabilities within their workforce now more than ever. This has an impact on each and every company, the people they employ and future workforces, regardless of the sector. Employer-led training opportunities for individuals to upskill or acquire new skill sets in the digital sector has the potential for even greater positive impact for employers in the current challenging climate.
Digital Skills Bootcamp
The Digital Skills Bootcamp programme, funded through the National Skills Fund, includes different Digital and Technical Skills Bootcamps that have been designed to help local people advance or pivot their skills into growing sectors.
Employers can work with providers to develop a Digital Skills Bootcamp tailored to your business. Bootcamps can also provide you with trained candidates and help you recruit directly from the programmes. All training local organisations below would welcome employer input.
Some examples of local Bootcamps are detailed below (more are developed continually):
BIT Group (previously known as BluescreenIT)
City College Plymouth
• Digital Skills for Care Workers
Cornwall College
• Digital for Health and Social Care
Exeter College
Find free local digital training courses through the Heart of the South West LEP Growth Hub here and local events on the South West Communities Calendar at here.
Technical Bootcamps
•Cornwall College - Bricklaying, Electric Vehicles, Hospitality and Electrical
• Cornwall College - Sustainable Development
• Exeter College - Green Construction
Find out more
This list of colleges and training providers that have received government funding to run Skills Bootcamps includes contact details for each provider and can be found here.
It’s split by sector to help employers find a local training provider to work with to:
•offer interviews to learners who have completed a Skills Bootcamp
•design or shape Skills Bootcamps to fill their skills shortages
•find training to help employees progress in their organisation.
Connecting to Bootcamp participants
The various sector led Skills Bootcamps delivered across the South West can support your recruitment and skills needs by connecting you with the learners/participants. Bootcamps can also provide you with trained candidates and help you recruit directly from the programmes. For further information please contact the training providers local to you, as detailed above to speak about your needs as an employer, to check availability, what is running and what is planned.