Posted: 28/08/09
Providing help to businesses and the unemployed
West Nottinghamshire College has announced new measures to help people that are made redundant and businesses hit by the recession.
The college has secured funding to offer a package of education and training opportunities to graduates and professionals who lose their jobs.
Help will be in the form of one-to-one career coaching sessions and training across a wide range of employment areas including personal development, business skills, computing, construction and engineering, hair and beauty, hospitality and the creative arts.
The coaching sessions, led by a careers advisor trained specially to support people from a skilled employment background, will explore how people can maximise their skills and look at what new ones they may benefit from.
Vocational training will be in the form of three hour-long ‘taster’ sessions, starting mid-September, while others will be held over several weeks, leading to an accredited award.
Fully-funded places on existing university-level short courses at the college may also be available.
These services will be free to the unemployed and subsidised for those facing redundancy.
Meanwhile, the college will offer vulnerable firms a subsidised package of bespoke training to help them remain competitive during the economic downturn.
Project coordinator Nicki Senior said “There is a real gap in the support available to graduates or professionals who find themselves unemployed, often after several years in the same job.
“This project will offer help, at the right level, so they can make the most of their skills or gain new qualifications that will give them the confidence to embark on a new career.
“It will also deliver flexible, rapid responses to the needs of vulnerable businesses; allowing them to retain a skilled workforce and survive the recession.”
The measures are being funded by £140,000 from the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) for England, as part of its Economic Challenge and Investment Fund project – a collaboration between the University of Derby, West Nottinghamshire College, Derby College, North Nottinghamshire College and Chesterfield College.
The one-year project is aimed at unemployed graduates and professionals, or people with no university-level qualifications that could benefit from Higher Education, along with business that are struggling to survive the recession.
Individuals or businesses requiring further information should contact Nicki on 01623 413346 or e-mail nicki.senior@wnc.ac.uk
