First trainees embark on Mayor's £250m skills programme

The Mayor has hailed the start of the Adult Skills Training Programme - designed to boost job opportunities in construction, manufacturing, tech, foundational roles and the fast growing green economy – as the region’s most

ambitious training offer in decades.

Scores of skills providers across the region have opened their doors to people seeking new opportunities and fresh starts – part of her New Deal for North East Workers, an £80m-a-year bid to create clear pathways into jobs in the region’s most in demand industries.

The launch follows consultation and collaboration between the Mayoral authority and local colleges, training providers, local authorities, employers and voluntary organisations to ensure the right training is available to the “right people, in the right places, at the right time.”

The Mayor said: “I said we’d change the way we deliver adult skills training in the North East, and now we’re doing just that.

“Every bit of our new skills investment is focused on helping people move from training straight into proper jobs in our growing industries.

“That could be in the green economy, digital and tech, foundational jobs we all rely on so much, like nursery teaching, working in a shop, pub or restaurant, or in the construction roles we need to build the homes of the future.”

She added: “Support is there for people to get the skills, confidence and chances they deserve.”

Support will be targeted at people with low qualifications, those facing health barriers, women entering technical fields, young adults who have come through the care system and those seeking to progress in work.

The plan is built around three strands of support:

*Skills Foundation – to build essential skills and confidence.

*Skills Activation – technical training and apprenticeships.

*Skills for Work – employer designed courses leading directly to jobs.

The Mayor added: “My message is that, if you’re looking for a fresh start, we’re here to back you and, if you’re an employer, we’re building the skilled workforce you’ve been asking for.

“This programme is about making sure no one is left behind.”

For more information, go to https://www.northeast-ca.gov.uk/projects/skills-programmes