Adult Education Budget
Combined Authorities
As a provider to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authorities (SYMCA), and Greater London Combine Authorities (GLCA), Skills Training is transforming lives by helping people in these regions to get qualifications, jobs, and progress their careers.
As part of their regional skills strategy the WMCA, SYMCA, and GLCA have used devolved Adult Education Budget (AEB) commissioning powers to fund these skills programmes for people aged 19 or over to improve the earnings potential of low-paid, low-skilled workers and enable more residents to learn the literacy and numeracy skills they need for successful work and lives.
More than 2,000 people have joined the programmes, through two strands of delivery:
Lot 1: targeting unemployed people in priority areas to increase qualifications and employability (and ultimately progress into employment) – WMCA, SYMCA & GLCA
Lot 2: targeting low-skilled and low-paid adults who are employed, or at risk of redundancy – WMCA & SYMCA
Delivering for local priorities
Our strategy supports the delivery of the regional skills plans for these Combined Authorities, boosting local skills development in their priority areas of:
- Digital skills
- Business skills
- Engineering and Manufacturing
- Health and Social Care
In addition to a strong portfolio of Level 1 and Level 2 courses, we are increasingly adding new Level 3 courses, including:
- Access to HE Diploma in Health Professions
- Management
- Customer Service
Sector-Based Work Academies
As part of our offer in the Lot 1 delivery we have created Sector Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) which are directly linked to jobs which employers in the West Midlands and South Yorkshire region are recruiting for.
The programmes help jobseekers who are claiming Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) to build confidence, improve their job prospects and enhance their CVs, as well as giving them direct access to employment opportunities.
Prioritising low-skilled employees
Our Lot 2 provision is focused on helping to boost the skills and prospects of low-skilled learners employed in low-paid jobs and those at risk of redundancy.
We work with growing numbers of high-profile employers to support the development and career progression of their employees, helping to fill skills gaps and generate a continuous pipeline of trained and committed people.
For example, by supporting the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and University Hospital Birmingham with English and maths training, 55 Healthcare Associates have progressed onto a Nursing Degree Apprenticeship.
Our NHS and other large employer relationships are growing year on year.
Contact us to find out more
It was a joy to see these young people’s successes. They feel valued and connected, and what Skills Training UK and its partners are achieving is amazing.
Councillor Gloria Opara, Medway Council’s Deputy Mayor
