A step ahead of the new Government announcement
We all find inspiring the stories of seniors or elders going back to university and pursuing something new. Whether it is their age that makes it admirable or the fact they’re going against the stigma of education being only for young people, that is yet to be debated. But one thing we have encountered for sure is the lack of support for adult education, along with tailored and inclusive programmes to meet people of different paths of life.
In a society where the demand for skills is constantly changing and increasing, keeping up to date has become quite difficult. Being employable means having skills that are required on the market. But in reality, not everyone has the luxury or background to afford continuous development, and with development alternatives inaccessible - social mobility only gets harder. People’s ability to progress to medium-income employment becomes steadily lower as they get older. And we understand this!
After 11 years of working in refugee integration service provision, one of the most frustrating aspects of our work has been the lack of opportunities for refugees to undertake in-demand skills training and progress past entry-level or precarious employment. But this is not only about the refugee and migrant communities. Adult education is key in levelling employment opportunities and allowing people to self-sustain themselves in the years to come.
Imagine how much of a closed cycle it is to be stuck in entry-level employment or precarious working contracts with little ability or opportunity to gain the skills needed to progress in the 21st century.
This week we saw the news that the government has announced plans to expand the provision of adult education, as a reaction to a looming unemployment crisis as the effects of COVID-19 take their toll.
The Prime Minister aims to bring the adult training system into the 21st century, and prepare already disadvantaged workers for the jobs of the future. Within this new scheme, adults without A-Levels will be eligible for free, fully funded college courses with the flexibility to study when and where they like.
As the government’s plans are planned to come into effect in April 2021, we are here to let you know what you can join now with ACH to upskill yourself:
ACH has some EXCELLENT opportunities available at the moment. Our opportunities are tailor-made with the future work trends and the COVID-19 pandemic in mind. Here’s how YOU can hack the future of work NOW with ACH:
Digital Accelerator
Our Digital Accelerator is a scheme running across the West Midlands which is levelling up digital skills for 21st-century jobs. The project is a careers leapfrog project designed to put WMCA residents in interview seats, whilst providing the necessary support to take the residents beyond the poor digital inclusion retail offer.
Funded by WEST Midlands Combined Authority, the project offers free provision with state of the art, world-class digital skills training for the learners, and highly skilled candidates ready to be recruited by local employers.
The training is not your average ‘chalk and talk’ classroom-based approach. Participants gain essential digital skills through IBM SkillsBuild- a Global Online Learning Platform for digital skills development, where they receive internationally recognised badges for each course completion. Trainees can choose from four learning paths, such as: Digital Foundation, Cybersecurity Professional, Junior Web & Full Stack Developer and Customer Service Representative.
Our tutors at Himilo Training (the ACH training arm) will guide learners through their online journey, offering flexible hands-on assistance for learner success.
These courses are tailor-made for in-demand skills in the labour market. Skills like coding will propel learners into sustainable career pathways, leapfrogging the skills gap and becoming adaptable to a digitised and automated future.
Find out more and book your place here: digitalskills@ach.org.uk
SCORE Project | Skills Coaching Online for Refugee Employability.
The project is focused on providing access and support to learning digital skills for forced migrants. The aim is to upskill people’s digital skills and help them transition safely in outsourcing opportunities in the digital space. Participants get access to an enhanced digital platform where they have access to online learning along with guidance to online employment applications.
In the first stages, the learners enrolled on the project attend our introductory training, focusing on safely navigating the online space and learning more details about how the collaboration will unfold. After which, up to 200 clients will receive a free tablet (which they can keep) to access the online space, along with continuous training on discovering and mastering the usage of various digital platforms and apps for different areas of their lives. The project not only equips people with new digital skills, but it also simplifies other areas of their lives, helping them step into new opportunities and social circles.
Last but not least, SCORE is a distance learning alternative that delivers comprehensive wraparound services for learners, providing a level of support that exceeds that found in most classrooms.
If you would like to join the project, email us at info@ach.org.uk or call us at 0117 954 0433.
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