Employability support and skills training

This page tells you about our employability support programmes, including Better Working Futures, Building Better Opportunities, Generation North East, North of Tyne Working Homes, and a range of skills training to help you find work.

Northumberland County Council offers a number of employment and skills programmes, in partnership with our funders and delivery partners, to help our residents raise their skills and move into work. This may be for those who are moving into work for the first time, need to change jobs, want to improve their skills, or are returning to the labour market. All support is tailored to individual needs.

By using a variety of delivery partners in the voluntary/community, public and private sectors, programmes can offer support to meet a wide range of needs. This includes helping you to gain the skills and experience that employers are looking for. Northumberland County Council also works with local businesses and organisations to match residents with vacancies, and the kind of work experience to help a move into work.

The govenment are now offering The Skills Toolkit which has some free courses to help you learn new skills or get a new job. To learn more about this skills toolkit click here.
 
The drop-down boxes below give further information on each programme, but if you would like to know more about them and discuss the best option for you, You can call us on our freephone helpline 0808 196 3936 or email us at employmentandtraining@northumberland.gov.uk.
One of the things people feel most acutely when out of work is isolation. It’s easy to feel that you’re facing this all alone.
 
We are here to help you to enhance your chances of getting a job and give you support to prepare your CV and show you how to create compelling cover letters and stand out from other applicants.

We can also help to boost your confidence as you get ready for interviews. We run budget sessions to help you cope on benefits until you are able to get back into work. Our experts are always at hand to help you make the most of opportunities as they come along.
 
If you would like to register your interest in a course, please do contact Rianne Gallon on 01670 626107 and you will be contacted as soon as we are able to offer you face to face support.
 
We hope to resume our service as soon as we can. We are continuing to closely monitor developments in relation to COVID-19 and we’re following guidance from Public Health England, the UK Government and the World Health Organisation.


Employability Courses

Whether you’ve had a career break or want to move on and change direction, our courses can help you get the job you want.

You will learn new skills and improve your employability through our range of short courses. And, with our personalised support and advice sessions, you’ll soon be taking the right steps into work. 

We have a wide variety of short courses across all of our campuses that also includes: 
  • Digital skills for employment
  • Customer service
  • Transferable skills
  • Sectoral information sessions
  • Reboot your CV 
  • Using social media for employment
  • Budget management
  • Mindfulness
  • Interview Skills
To find out more and for information on applying for a course click here
Our fully qualified Careers Advisers work in the community to support young people aged 16-18 who are not in education, employment or training, to find the opportunities they are looking for:
  • apprenticeships
  • college & training providers courses 
  • personal development opportunities.
We offer impartial information, advice and guidance, and during this time we can provide telephone/email information and/or advice.

Please contact us via email on careersteam@northumberland.gov.uk, or text or call the team on 07827 244027.

Visit the Careers Guidance Team webpage here.

Twitter: @NlandGuidance

Matrix logo
Helping Northumberland businesses access the workforce and skills they need as our economy recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic is a high priority for the council.
 
We have launched a survey to gather information and views from employers, so that we can best support them. This information will be invaluable in supporting our ongoing work in developing skills and employment systems for Northumberland.
 
Please click on the link below to take part in the survey and let us know your views. There are only 15 questions and it should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete. 
 
North of Tyne Working Homes is part funded by the European Social Fund as part of the England 2014 to 2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme.

Northumberland County Council acts as Lead Accountable Body for North of Tyne Working Homes on behalf of the North of Tyne Combined Authority and is managed by the Economy and Regeneration Service Employability and Inclusion Team.

Click here for further information
Building Better Opportunities: Bridge Northumberland is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and The European Social Fund.

Northumberland County Council acts as Lead Accountable Body for Building Better opportunities: Bridge Northumberland and is managed by the Economy and Regeneration Service Employability and Inclusion Team.

Click here for further information
The Work and Health Programme Job Entry: Targeted Support (WHP JETS) service supports benefit claimants who have become unemployed as recently as 12 weeks ago.

The programme provides a ramp up in support as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, supporting participants with tailored, flexible support to quickly get back into employment.

Support on offer includes specialist advice on moving into growing sectors, as well as CV writing help and interview coaching. Participants will also receive access to financial support for a variety of different aspects of their job searching activity, including travel costs, interview clothing, health assessments and training - plus the opportunity to use our partner, Reed in Partnership’s Online Career Centre, which provides anytime access to a range of useful job search and skills support tools.

You will also be given access to a range of health and wellbeing support if you need this via an Online Health Check providing an in-depth report in participant’s key health indicators, including dietary habits, sleeping patterns, financial wellbeing and personal resilience.

Northumberland County Council deliver WHP JETS in Northumberland on behalf of REED in Partnership and the Department for Work and Pensions. Delivery in the North East is co-funded by the European Social Fund.

If you require help or would like any further information please contact the employment support team on 01670 623894

This programme, working in partnership with REED, gives people who face additional barriers to starting work the best support available. 

We provide holistic and targeted support to people with health conditions and those who are long term unemployed. 
 
Better Working Futures participants must be referred by their JCP Work Coach/DEA. After being referred you will meet your own personal Employment Adviser who will talk to you about your interests, skills, health and personal circumstances. Your advisor is there to help and support you and will make a plan to help to find you work, or engage in training and other activities to move you towards your employment goals.They will help you to develop the right  skills for the job you want and your personal plan will explore your best options, including self-employment opportunities. 
 
Once in work, our support does not end and we will keep in regular contact to help you settle into your new role and help with any issues that emerge helping you to succeed.

If you need further information please contact Gillian Campbell:
Email: Gillian.campbell01@northumberland.gov.uk
Telephone: 01670 621222

If you’re out of work, the Restart scheme will help you build your confidence, skills and find a job that is right for you.

NCC delivers the Restart sheme together with Reed in Partnership and the service forms part of the government’s Plan for Jobs, which is helping millions of people across the country – many of whom have had their employment status impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Restart scheme aims to break down barriers which could be holding you back from finding work. You will be allocated a personal Employment Advisor who will work closely with you, creating a tailored plan to help you every step of the way.
Restart scheme logo

This includes:
  • 1:1 coaching, advice and guidance
  • Job search, CVs and interview preparation
  • Access to skills training
  • Support to enhance your health and wellbeing
  • Address personal and social barriers to work
  • Signposting and access to local services
  • Support from Business Advisers who recruit on behalf of local employers.
Once you’re in work, our offer of support does not just stop. We will keep in regular contact helping you to settle into your new role, helping with any issues that may emerge and ensuring that you can succeed – This can include help with small financial costs until you receive your first salary.

Sounds great – how do I sign up?
Speak to your Work Coach at your local Job Centre and they will refer you to start the Restart Scheme with us, or if you would like further information, please contact Rachel Druce:

Tel: 01670 623892
Email: rachel.druce@northumberland.gov.uk

Reed in Partnership logoIn partnership with Department for Work and Pensions logo