Bucks Council announces free employment skills bootcamp as part of five-year strategy

Bucks Council has announced the launch of a new bootcamp in Aylesbury as part of its long term skills and employment strategy.

Launched at Buckinghamshire College Group in Aylesbury on Friday (12 January), the bootcamp is free for the learners.

Bucks Council has confirmed an intake of 30 people, who will have a job interview, an opportunity to move into a self-employed role, or additional skills that can be used at their current jobs at the end of the programme, which is scheduled to last for 16 weeks.

This is the first project launched by the authority that is linked to its new skills and employment strategy for 2024 to 2029.

Skills Bootcamps are aimed at assisting people with the knowledge to work in in-demand sectors and have been funded by a £3.3 million grant from the Government.

Councillor Anita Cranmer, said: “It is great that we have been able to launch the Buckinghamshire Skills and Employment Strategy today at Buckinghamshire College Group. The strategy sets a clear direction for increasing access to and provision of in-demand skills and qualifications to enable our residents and employers to prosper.

“We are committed to working in partnership to maximise the opportunities for our county, and going forward there will be a comprehensive Skills Bootcamp programme of 788 learning opportunities in a range of sectors including, engineering, digital, agriculture, leadership and management, and creative. There really will be something for everyone.”

Information on future Skills Bootcamps can be found online here, a full breakdown of the authority’s strategy can also be found online.

Councilor Joseph Baum added: “I want to thank everyone involved in creating the Skills and Employment Strategy, as well as everyone involved in delivering the Skills Bootcamps.

“Everyone in our county has something to offer and these new learning opportunities will help people of all ages to find employment and develop their careers. This will also have the added benefit of boosting their wellbeing and personal satisfaction.”

Bucks Council has announced five priorities for its employability strategy: using a whole system approach, working with existing organisations, supporting those with additional barriers into learning and employment, boosting businesses, and to adapt to a changing market.

Residents are advised by the authority that they can use the programme to seek one-to-one support, a maths course, or by joining a bootcamp.

It is hoped that by offering a range of courses to people in Buckinghamshire it will be easier for businesses to identify qualified people who can boost their workplaces.

Bucks Council is looking to address concerns that educators have struggled to find work experience for their cohorts. That businesses have found school leavers are not ready for the workplace and that employers are less likely to invest in employees continued professional development in Buckinghamshire, compared to other parts of England.

Bucks Council has also referenced the concerning findings, revealed in the 2021 Census, that showed 26,930 Buckinghamshire residents aged between 18 to 64 years old had no qualifications.