/ News / Lancashire businesses and training providers successful in securing funding to deliver innovative Bootcamp training programmes

Lancashire providers have been successful in securing significant funding to offer a range of free Skills Bootcamps as part of a Department for Education initiative, covering skills such as coding, cyber security, cloud engineering and digital marketing.

Lancashire was one of the first regions to successfully pilot these innovative courses, developed by the UK Government as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee and Plan for Jobs, with over 250 Lancashire residents benefiting from the previous programme. Further Bootcamps are now available in Lancashire with the aim to drive up the skills people need to gain sustainable employment and support employers with the skilled workforce they need to fill skills gaps and grow their talent pool.

The Government’s successful Skills Bootcamp training programmes has been expanded to regions across the country, offering an extra 16,000 fully funded places for adults to upskill or retrain.

Skills Bootcamps are flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. In Lancashire the Skills Bootcamps include skills areas such as digital marketing, cyber security, data analytics, cloud engineering, digital leadership, coding and virtual reality.

If you’re aged 19 or above, in work, self-employed, recently unemployed or returning to work after a break, and looking to quickly increase your skills in a specific area and fast-track into a new job or get ahead with your current employer, a Skills Bootcamp could be the right choice for you. If you are currently claiming Universal Credit you will be permitted to complete the Skills Bootcamp whilst claiming Universal Credit, then please talk to your Job Coach for further details.

Kam Kothia, Director of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership has welcomed the Bootcamps saying “Lancashire has a growing Tech and Digital Sector which needs skilled talent to fill an ever-increasing number of job roles. What better way of supporting the growth of local businesses than to invest in developing the skills of local people to meet that demand.”

“We are proud that the Skills Bootcamps were piloted and tested with employers and providers in Lancashire, working with our partners in Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the Department of Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Education (DfE), through the Lancashire Digital Skills Partnership. It is fabulous to see so many local providers contributing to this expansion of Skills Bootcamp provision and bringing exciting opportunities to the people of Lancashire and supporting our business community.” Added Amanda Melton, CEO & Principal of Nelson and Colne Group and Director of Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (Skills Lead).

So, if you are a business looking to attract tech talent, the Skills Bootcamps programme could fast-track more people in your local area to gain the skills you need to meet your talent demands. The Skills Bootcamps model is designed to put business needs first and help employers play a leading role in shaping training to fill skills gaps at a local level.

 

As an employer, you can also benefit from Skills Bootcamps by upskilling and retaining your existing workforce. Skills Bootcamps make reskilling opportunities quick, flexible, and directly linked to skills that are in need in your local area. This means that any current staff who learn on a Skills Bootcamp can apply their new skills sooner, helping your business to fill skills gaps whilst also investing in your

people. Employers need to make a 30% contribution to the cost of the training where the Bootcamp is upskilling a current employee.

 

There are a range of training options available across the county with applications open now.

For further information on the full range and to book your place, visit: https://www.lancashireskillshub.co.uk/digital-skills-partnershi

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