By Hannah Carmichael, New Futures Programme Manager, Learning and Work Institute
Person-centred, informal coaching, engaging business in programme design and focussing on local workforce priorities have been key to the success of Learning and Work Institute’s (L&W) New Futures pilots, which have so far seen over 100 people across the UK switch career.
With funding provided by the Covid-19 Support Fund, we have been working in partnership with local authorities and charities to provide place-based support to those whose jobs have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. In Tees Valley, Belfast, Edinburgh and Wales, the programme is connecting people to opportunities in their local areas, while supporting employers to fill their vacancies with suitably skilled workers. While each area is taking a different approach according to local circumstances, emerging findings from the pilots suggest that flexible, tailored support driven by individual needs has enabled participants to access reskilling opportunities that lead to finding new roles in a different sector or industry.
Partnership working to ensure the service being created addressed local need has been another key finding, demonstrating the importance of strong cross-sector collaboration from the start. A wide range of partners have been involved throughout pilot design and delivery alongside local authorities, including voluntary sector agencies who provide employability support, sector specific bodies, Jobcentre Plus, businesses, recruitment agencies, training providers, and agencies which provide wider support on issues such as housing and financial advice.
In Tees Valley, New Futures is delivered by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council on behalf of the Tees Valley Combined Authority. Qualified, dedicated careers coaches are working in partnership with local agencies to support people into new careers based around their interests and lifestyle.
Given the focus on reskilling for career change, it’s been essential for all pilots to engage with local employers and to harness the potential of local growth sectors. Our partners at Belfast City Council (BCC) have focused on the tech sector and, by working with tech employers to understand the type of skills needed, have created academies to reskill local people into specific, industry-standard technical roles, with workplace learning and guaranteed job interviews being part of the package of support.
New Futures is demonstrating that people can change career by being supported to identify their interests and enhance their skills and experience, leading to a more meaningful and sustainable working life.
While our partners are leading all aspects of the programme at the local level, L&W is ensuring the learnings are shared with national leaders, including through our Stakeholder Reference Group which brings together experts and representatives of local government, social housing, business, unions and the voluntary and community sector.
We are also evaluating the programme and the lessons we learn from the four pilots will contribute to the evidence base on what works in supporting people to reskill and change career. We hope this will help to inform future policy development and practice across the UK.
This article was originally published in The MJ on 13th July 2023.