This site is delivered by Worcestershire County Council.

Unemployment Support for all

For individuals aged 16+ the following programmes offer a range of services and training opportunities to support users with securing employment in Worcestershire.

Support services and training opportunities

Careers Worcestershire

Careers Worcestershire provides free, impartial careers advice for young people aged 15 to 24 to help them find the right pathway into employment, training or education. We are based within The Hub at The Hive, Worcester, providing a one-stop destination for 1:1 support workshops, events and much more.

Seetec Pluss - Restart Scheme 

The Restart Scheme will support individuals in receipt of Universal Credit in the IWSR who have been out of work for at least 12 and up to 18 months to get back into work. Serco was chosen by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to deliver the Restart Scheme in the West Central region and Seetec Pluss is one of the providers selected by Serco to support in the delivery of these services.

We want to ensure all Participants are given the best support to find employment and we will take our service out into the heart of the community to offer the best service. We have dedicated employment advisors and trainers who can offer enhanced support with finding jobs and training. We will be working with employers to offer exclusive job opportunities for our Participants. Health and wellbeing is paramount and our services are designed with the Participants’ wellbeing in mind. 

  • training/courses offered: writing an effective CV, interview techniques, using the hidden jobs market, confidence and resilience support, and more
  • location: Worcestershire (offices in Redditch, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove and Worcester)
  • contact: speak with your Jobcentre Plus Work Coach who will explain more about the Restart Scheme
  • phone: 0800 334 5525
  • website: Seetec Pluss - Restart Scheme

Worcestershire Adult Learning 

Worcestershire County Council’s Adult Learning team offer a vast range of over 400 courses. The Adult Community Learning courses offer both accredited and non-accredited options, as well as a range of qualifications to learners to study at their own individual level. The programmes include: Community Learning, English & Maths, Vocational Skills, Family Learning, Leisure and Employability.

The Employability Suite, within the Adult and Community Learning Programme, focuses on delivering courses to learners that support every stage needed for gaining employment. The courses cover subjects on; building and uploading digital CV’s, online job search, interviews (online or in person) and how to become a Volunteer.  

The Business Suite focuses on; setting up your business, building a website and promoting your business via social media. 

I.T courses, within the Adult and Community Learning Programme, are tailored to accommodate all levels of individuals abilities. The courses offered are aimed at ensuring learners gain skills to enhance their job opportunities. 

All courses mentioned offer learners to choose their own starting point and their own journey through the courses based on their own individual needs. Delivery can be online, in a venue or both.

Adult Education

English and maths

The E and M provision provides adults with the opportunity to learn and develop new skills which support employment progression and further education.

Provision:

Functional skills English and maths:

  • entry level 1, 2, 3
  • level 1 and Level 2

GCSE – English and maths 

Upon completion a learner can progress onto the next level up, explore further educational courses or enter employment

  • awarding bodies: Pearson: Edexcel and AQA
  • ages: 19+
  • location:Worcester /Redditch

ESOL - English for speakers of other languages

The ESOL provision provides adults with the opportunity to learn and develop new skills which support everyday life, community involvement, employment progression and further education.

Provision: ESOL – Skills for Life:

  • entry level 1, 2, 3
  • level 1 and Level 2

Upon completion a learner can progress onto the next level up, explore further educational courses or enter employment

  • awarding body: City & Guilds
  • ages:19+
  • location: Worcester /Redditch

IT

The IT provision provides adults with the opportunity to learn and develop new skills which support employment progression and further education.

Provision: ITQ:

  • entry level 1, 2, 3
  • level 1 and Level 2

Modules: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Productivity 

Upon completion a learner can progress onto the next level up, explore further educational courses or enter employment

  • course Structure: 6 to 8 weeks, 2 days per week 
  • awarding Body: City & Guilds
  • ages: 19+
  • location: Worcester/Redditch/Bromsgrove
  • contact: Neil Gardiner | 01905 743479 | ngardiner@howcollege.ac.uk 

Basement Project 

The Basement project offers advice and support regarding housing and homelessness. Every Wednesday at 11am until 1pm there is a drop-in service where you can speak to Zoe, an advisor and she can offer help with applications, advice and follow up appointments. Zoe can arrange home visits or meet with you in the Careers Hub in The Hive, Worcester.

Droitwich CVS 

A Council for Voluntary Service (DCVS) is an independent local voluntary organisation that exists to support, promote and develop local voluntary action. DCVS offer a mentoring programme to help clients establish what employment or education route they would like to take. Support provided can include assisting learners to apply for college or to apply for jobs. DCVS also offer accredited qualifications in Maths and English. 

NCS- National Careers Service

The National Careers Service offer a weekly CV session, where Ashley from NCS will guide you with your future career aspirations by asking you to fill out a careers questionnaire to determine the types of jobs that will best suit your aspirations and personality type. He will then explain ways in which you are able to get into these types of jobs and then send you a list of courses and job advertisements based on what your career goals are.

NCLP Stepping out 

NCLP is a not for profit organisation with charitable aims which provides educational and welfare-based courses with embedded life skills for young people, parents, and parents to be. NCLP support with skills, learning and training by carrying out activities in small groups which include: managing money, social relationships, using social media safely, health and wellbeing, mental health awareness, interview techniques, applying for jobs, CV writing, accredited childcare qualifications and mentor support and advice. 

NCLP programmes are mapped to government standards and address parenting skills, educational welfare and healthcare needs, with embedded life and functional skills. 

Odell 

The Odell Centre is an organisation who work with individuals with special educational needs. The programme identifies barriers individuals face when achieving their aspirations and career goals and use this information to deliver learner plans which consist of activities planned to help learners progress towards their goals. 
The programme offers recreational, leisure and social opportunities and encourages individuals to be self-motivated and to make informed choices on their futures. 

Seetec

Seetec offer a health and wellbeing service which they provide at Careers Hub in The Hive, Worcester. Here you are offered six sessions of 1:1 advice with a wellbeing coach. This offer has helped many young people with their confidence and how to navigate their mental health needs.

Shaw Trust 

Shaw Trust services help users gain an education, enter work, develop their career, improve their wellbeing or rebuild their lives. The programme is designed to improve employment outcomes for people with health conditions or disabilities and those who have been unemployed for more than two years. 

Stepway 

Stepway is a charity that aim to promote social inclusion among veterans of the armed forces in Worcestershire. Stepway work with veterans to establish what their priority needs are and how they can support in improving their wellbeing. Stepway offer a 7-Step Civilian Programme focussed on supporting mental health to ease the transition into employment or further education. 

The Development Manager Ltd (TDM)

Get ahead in digital transformation.

The Development Manager Ltd is a tech and digital coaching support programmes for adults, fully funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority. 

Training/courses offered: 

  • reskill yourself whilst furloughed
  • reskill your teams to enable digital transformation in your business
  • gain key digital skills and become indispensable to your employer
  • improve your employability through improved tech and digital skills
  • boost your employability
  • kickstart your IT career
  • become a sought-after candidate for an apprenticeship
     
  • website: The Development Manager
  • phone: 03331010040
  • email: enquiries@tdm.co.uk

The Old Needleworks 

The Old Needleworks are a mental health and wellbeing hub based in Redditch, Worcestershire. The Hub offer a “steps to success” programme aimed at supporting individuals 25+ to meet their career aspirations. Learners are given the opportunity to attend learning sessions and 1-2-2 advice sessions with a wellbeing coach, on completion of the programme, an accredited qualification is awarded. 

WCT (Joy) 

The Joy project is a woman only community project which provides support to enable women to gain a variety of skills, enhance their confidence and empower them to make their own informed decisions. Each woman will access a journey tailored to their specific abilities. Services include: 

  • access to various courses and training 
  • learning new skills 
  • growing independently 
  • achieving dreams 
  • help to access advice 
  • developing friendships 
  • enabling women to make informed decisions for the future 

Joy details:

XL Skills Training 

XL Skills training are a training provider who offer a range of programmes, apprenticeships and services across Worcestershire aimed at returning learners to work. Programmes include:

  • IT skills development
  • online qualifications, Traineeships
  • apprenticeships 
  • commercial training. 

XL Skills Training details: