We’re welcoming applications from adult education providers to deliver new courses in the 2022/23 academic year.
We are looking for training providers who can help us address specific identified gaps in provision and support the continuing implementation of our adult education strategy. Our specific priorities are:
Employability for disadvantaged communities
Substantial programmes of employability provision, located within our most disadvantaged communities, offering managed progression from existing engagement provision into work.
Addressing barriers to career progression with functional skills
Foundation Skills for Work provision equipping residents in insecure and / or low wage employment with the skills required to address barriers to career progression and secure better employment, combining ‘high value courses’ with literacy, numeracy and ESOL at Level 2. Skills training which supports the green economy is particularly welcomed.
Supporting the hardest-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic
Substantial programmes of engagement and employability provision targeting specific types of residents (e.g. young people, over 50s, minority ethnic communities, residents with learning difficulties and / or disabilities) hardest-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
National Skills Fund level 3 offer
Intermediate skills for work provision offering qualifications forming part of the National Skills Fund level 3 offer which are of greatest relevance to local economic need.
Our open application process also adopts two cross-cutting themes relating to green skills and addressing the current challenges faced by the logistics and HGV sector. We particularly welcome applications which support these themes.
For more information concerning our priorities, the provision we seek and adult education within the West of England please read the priority specification on our website.
A launch meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 12 April at 11am to cover the details on the provision that we are looking to fund as well as the application form and gateway criteria. Please contact adulteducation@westofengland-ca.gov.uk for meeting details.