City & Guilds Upskilling The Nation With New £26m Wave of Skills Bootcamps

‘City & Guilds Training’, the training arm of City & Guilds, has secured further funding from the Department for Education to deliver a new wave of Skills Bootcamps over the next two years across England.   

This is the fourth wave of Skills Bootcamps to be delivered since 2020, with City & Guilds leading the way from the start. This next wave will offer further access to training in industries currently being held back by skills shortages including rail, construction and engineering.   

Why Are Skills Bootcamps Good?

Skills Bootcamps have the potential to transform the skills landscape for adults and employers by delivering a pipeline of skilled workers. City & Guilds will train around 7,000 learners in essential areas, such as construction, green skills, health and safety and rail engineering, among others.    

The circa £26m investment in City & Guilds Training has been made as part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee and Plan for Jobs to help fill skills gaps and improve job outcomes for learners.   

Skills Bootcamps offer free and flexible courses lasting up to 16 weeks. Aimed at adults aged 19 years old or above, they provide learners with an opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and offer a job interview with an employer on completion. They are a vital stepping stone into work and an entry point for those considering moving onto longer-term skills training programmes such as an apprenticeship. When delivered at scale, they represent an important boost to the UK economy.  

Kirstie Donnelly MBE, CEO at City & Guilds, said:

“This is great news for learners and industry.  City & Guilds Skills Bootcamps are already changing lives for the better, by providing access to training and skills needed by the industry. They provide learners with access to vital training, giving them that all-important kickstart in a skilled sector that they can build a career in.”

City & Guilds learner, Calum, currently employed as Maintenance Lead at Clean Energy Nationwide, commenting on his experience of Skills Bootcamps, says:

“We insulate houses, put solar panels on the roof and fit heat pumps. My job, once I’m fully qualified, will include ventilation, plumbing and electrical maintenance. I’m hoping to become an electrician so that I can sign off all my work for the company.   

“My course tutor’s been amazing – helpful. Likewise, my fellow coursemates, if I get stuck on something and they know the answer, they’re willing to step in and help me understand it, from their perspective. The training centre also seems like a great place to learn.”