A four day job and skills event will be held at Place De Brest outside Barclays next week run by Skills Launchpad Plymouth, the city’s one-stop-shop skills service.
This inaugural four day job and skills event is being held from 7 -10 July from 10am until 2pm each day and will support education leavers, job seekers, those on furlough and anyone looking for a change of career direction. It’s free, and everyone is welcome to drop by to find out about current opportunities, gain industry insight, access independent advice and guidance on the next steps to take for jobs, apprenticeships, Kickstarts, training and education.
Skills Launchpad Plymouth launched less than twelve months ago as a local emergency response to help the city and its people through the economic impact of a global pandemic. Initially, it was via a dedicated website which has attracted over 12,000 users, and more recently through a physical space supporting local people with face to face bookable appointments, situated in the heart of Plymouth at Barclays, on Armada Way.
The core Skills Launchpad Plymouth team will be joined by representatives from Construction (7 July), Health and Care (8 July), and Hospitality and Retail (9 July) industries along with Jobcentre Plus at the four day event to chat with attendees and discuss various roles, current job opportunities, training and skills requirements, sign-posting and career paths available.
Skills 4 Plymouth, of which Skills Launchpad Plymouth is part, is one of six key pillars of the Council’s Resurgam programme, the plan for the city’s Covid-19 economic recovery. It is an ambitious transformation programme, which focuses on making sure the people of Plymouth have the right skills to get a job and progress in work, and employers have people with the right skills they need for growth.
Councillor Dave Downie, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills, Children and Young People said: “I’m delighted that Skills Launchpad Plymouth are able to host their first ever events. These past fifteen months have been challenging and we are aware of the task faced by our education leavers, young adults, those who have faced redundancy or have been placed on furlough across the city.
"The Council’s partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions and key providers within the city ensures that we can join up the right skills and training so that Plymouth’s people can easily access support to improve their employment prospects and we encourage our residents to drop by our events to find out more.”
Allison Cooper, Integrated Delivery Operations Manager at the Department for Work and Pensions said: “DWP are delighted to be working in conjunction with Plymouth City Council on this exciting Skills Launchpad Plymouth opportunity. By working together, we are supporting the local community with their transition into tailored educational and vocational opportunities - helping individuals to achieve their full potential. With this four day outdoor event being located right in the heart of the city centre means that the Launchpad services are fully accessible to all. Having this fantastic space made available to us means that the city’s resources can come together in a truly focused way - with the aspirations of our citizens at the heart of all that we will do.”
David Podd, Barclays Plymouth City Leader, said: “The programme developed within the Skills Launchpad Plymouth closely aligns with Barclays LifeSkills which aims to develop individual’s employability skills to succeed in the workplace and move forward with their careers.
“As such, we are delighted to be taking part in this inaugural job and skills event working alongside Plymouth City Council. In support, the Barclays Van will be parked outside the branch during the four days, manned by local colleagues, with a focus on helping young people with their finances and money matters, as well hosting Fraud and Scam awareness sessions.”
Skills Launchpad Plymouth will also soon be offering sector specific ‘job shops’ at their base at Barclays. Working with partners and organisations across the city, the Construction and the Built Environment sector and Health and Social Care sector will each have a dedicated day assigned to them and anyone interested in a job in these areas will be able to book a slot to find out more and, if applicable, apply on the day for relevant opportunities.
There is no requirement to pre-register to attend the Skills Launchpad Plymouth event which will be open from 10am until 2pm from 7 to 10 July.
To find out more, to sign up for free one to one support and to access comprehensive digital resources visit www.skillslaunchpadplym.co.uk