Employment and Skills
Rushcliffe People & Skills Development Programme
As part of Rushcliffe Borough Council's delivery of UK Shared Prosperity funding from April 1st 2024, we are rolling out the delivery of four People & Skills Development initiatives including:
- A free to access online employment support platform
- Skills development fund open to both businesses and residents
- Supporting new, paid internships to local businesses
- Fully funded training programme including carbon literacy, digital skills and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
The themes of our programme are designed to make upskilling, retraining and getting into employment as accessible and impactful as possible to all of our residents aged 18 and over. See below for further details on each initiative.
As part of our ambition to help support businesses in a sustainable way, businesses will need to engage with a business advisor through the Rushcliffe Accelerator prior to applying for any funding. The Accelerator is completely free and can be accessed via the Rushcliffe Accelerator web page.
Start South Notts Employment Platform
Rushcliffe Borough Council, in partnership with Gedling and Broxtowe, will be offering a free to access online platform which is designed to offer support to residents seeking training and employment opportunities. The platform will include features such as a job search function, up to date local training courses and virtual work experience packages from both national and local businesses.
Start South Notts will be launched in early May - the link to the site will be available here from the launch day. We will also share this across Rushcliffe Borough Council social media channels.
Skills Development Fund
We know that for both businesses and residents, one of the greatest barriers to upskilling and retraining can be course and tuition fees. The Skills Development Fund is designed to remove the financial barrier to those businesses and individuals who are unable to access other support to upskill and retrain themselves or their staff.
Businesses can access up to £5,000 of funding to go towards upskilling and training their staff. This funding will contribute up to 70% of course and tuition fees, with the business being required to fund the remainder.
Residents can access up to £1,000 of funding to cover up to 100% of any course and tuition fees.
For full eligibility details and criteria, please read through the following guidance documents:
Skills Development Fund Applicant Eligibility & Guidance
To apply for skills development funding, please contact econdev@rushcliffe.gov.uk
Rushcliffe Internship Programme
Rushcliffe Borough Council is aiming to encourage more people into the workplace via the Rushcliffe Internship Grant. Businesses and residents are able to register interest in the programme which will enable greater opportunities for developing employment skills, work experience and training opportunities - all while earning a salary for the term of the internship.
For full details - please read the guidance document below:
Rushcliffe Internship Programme Applicant Guidance
To register your interest in the programme as a business or a resident, please complete the relevant form using the link below:
Learn with Rushcliffe
As part of our ongoing commitment to developing skills in Rushcliffe, we are offering a range of fully funded training opportunities which are available to residents and small businesses. Training opportunities will be along the following themes:
- Low Carbon & Green Skills
- Digital Skills & Digital Literacy
- English for Speakers or Other Languages (ESOL)
All of these courses will be free to access. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis via our booking site.
Please note - these courses are available to Rushcliffe residents only. We reserve the right to prevent repeated non-attenders from booking on to further training.
Low Carbon Bursary
As part of our commitment to supporting businesses to reduce their carbon footprint (and their energy bills!), we are introducing the low carbon bursary. Any small business, micro business or sole trader who attends a low carbon & green skills course hosted either by Rushcliffe Borough Council or East Midlands Chamber will be able to apply for the bursary.
The bursary of £300 is to support the installation of low carbon infrastructure or energy efficiency measures within a business premises. Examples of projects that the bursary can be used for include:
- LED lighting installation
- Smart thermostats
- Secondary glazing
- Low flow water systems
Low carbon courses hosted by RBC or East Midlands Chamber are FREE to attend, and you can find a list of these courses using the links below:
If you would like to apply for the bursary, please complete the application form below and return to econdev@rushcliffe.gov.uk
Low Carbon Bursary Application Form
Low Carbon Bursary Guidance Document
People & Skills
You will find our privacy statement referenced in our guidance documents and application forms. Please see the full privacy statement.
Working Well East Midlands
The Well for Work programme from Futures for Business provides support for people with physical or mental health issues, financial struggles, special educational needs or disabilities, substance misuses or language barriers. Helping you to find a job that works for you, gain qualifications to improve your skills (including English and Maths), access wellbeing & therapy services, receive housing support, financial advice and travel assistance.
For more information on Working Well East Midlands - you can view or download this information flyer.
Working Well East Midlands are also hosting events to discuss and explore the link between health and work, with the content of the events available online.
For further information, please call 0800 158 4670, email on wellforwork@futuresforyou.com or find out more on the Futures for You website.
Online Learning Platform - The Skills Toolkit
The Skills Toolkit is made up of free online courses, tools and resources to help you improve your digital and numeracy skills.
The Skills Toolkit is designed to help people gain new skills while they are staying at home and boost their confidence. The courses have been selected on the advice of experts and leading employers to make sure they meet the needs of business, not just for today but in the future. This is just a first step towards assisting with the longer-term recovery to boost employability across the country, helping people to build up the skills employers need during time spent at home.
Employers are also encouraged to use The Skills Toolkit to help to support and develop furloughed employees who are interested in learning from home.
DWP Employment Support Programmes
There are a range of DWP programmes to help you learn new skills, find the right career for you and mentor you through the process if needed. These can be accessed through your local Jobcentre or online where links are available.
Job Search Help - Digital support for if you're ready to work but need help finding the right job for you.
SWAPs - Sector-based work academy programmes are an opportunity to learn new skills and get experience of working in a particular industry, for example care, construction or warehouse work. The programmes are designed to help jobseekers build confidence, improve job prospects and enhance CVs. Find out more about SWAPs.
NEA - The New Enterprise Allowance scheme aims to support claimants to start their own business or develop your business, if you're already self-employed. Talk to your work coach to find out more. If you don’t have a work coach, find out more about your career options.
WHP - The Work and Health Programme may be able to offer you personalised support if you have a disability which is affecting your ability to find a job or you face other barriers to getting a job. If eligible, you’d be assigned a key worker to give you personalised support based on your needs. If you want to apply for help or find out more, then just get in touch with your local Jobcentre.
IPES - Intensive Personalised Employment Support is one-to-one support and training to help you into work if you have a disability or health condition. Ask your work coach if you’re eligible. If you don’t have a work coach, contact your local Jobcentre Plus and ask to speak to a work coach about Intensive Personalised Employment Support.
Employment and Skills Portal
Nottinghamshire County Council have created an employment and skills portal on their website. Whether you're working, recently furloughed or looking for a new job, COVID-19 is likely to have impacted your working life.
There are several schemes which are providing support to people whose jobs have been impacted by COVID-19. So to make things easier, Nottinghamshire County Council have put all the information and support available together in one place, on their employment and skills portal.
BT's Work Ready Programme
BT have partnered with Jobcentre Plus to bring BT's Work Ready programme to young job seekers via a new rolling programme of free webinars. The Work Ready programme boosts opportunities for young people who aren't in employment, education or training and prepares them for the world of work.
Young people aged 18-24 who are signed up to a Jobcentre can register through their local centre for the free sessions, and receive reliable advice from BT's experienced Work Ready team on how to improve their digital and employability skills. Topics covered will include how to be a hit at interviews, CV writing and making the most of life in the digital world.
Further details can be obtained from your local Jobcentre Plus.
Kick Off in Business at Home
For the first time, learners can now attend Kick off in Business courses from the comfort of their sofas. The restrictions created by CV19 provide a great opportunity to learn new skills and access valuable advice and information. The booking process is the same. Simply head to Kick off in Business or call on 0333 005 0344.
The courses are free for anyone aged under 24 in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Those under 24 receives a £50 Amazon Gift Card on completion. Following a surge in demand, they are already arranging extra online capacity for our April events.
The ready4work Job Club
The Ready 4 Work Club is a partnership initiative between the Trent Bridge Community Trust and Metropolitan Housing.
The initial idea was to establish a job club in Cotgrave solely for 16 to 19 year olds who are not in employment, education or training. However, after the success of this the project was widened to include all ages. It is run by a small team of volunteers with a diverse range of experience from science to business sectors. The club also has an employment officer to support you every step of the way into employment.
Cotgrave Wednesdays
The Ready4Work job club takes place every Wednesday (1-3pm) in Studio 1 at Cotgrave Leisure Centre. Cotgrave Ready 4 Work is an open access service designed to help any users gain employment.
At the weekly meetings they can get access to the latest vacancies, get support or advice, build or update and share experiences with other people in a similar position. We even make you a cuppa!
Bingham Thursdays
Ready 4 Work Bingham takes place every Thursday (10am-12noon) in the new Methodist Church in Bingham centre, we are upstairs and across the balcony. Please ask at the tea bar if you get lost!
Ready 4 Work is a free service and open to anyone over the age of 16. There is no obligation to use the service. If you are an Employer and have vacancies which you would like to be advertised or would just like to receive further information please contact Mark Clifford by calling 07966 363498 or Phillip Parr 07738 713989 or send an email to ready4workrushcliffe@gmail.com.
You can also follow Ready 4 Work on Facebook.