Access Training (East Midlands)’s contract win brings new recruitment support to businesses

Businesses across the East Midlands have been given a welcome boost by the news that Access Training (@accesstraining) has been awarded a sizeable contract to improve recruitment in the region.

Aptly named Access Works, the new contract, fully-funded under the Adult Education Budget (AEB), will help businesses find and recruit better candidates. The programme will offer employers the opportunity to take part in Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), which offer flexible tailored training via short, usually two-week, courses. 

Employers have the opportunity to weave their particular requirements into the SWAP training programme, so that individuals who go on to join their company are more prepared for the role in question, e.g. in areas such as telephone techniques or health and safety. They can go on to recruit, at no cost, from a pool of candidates who have shown commitment towards their own personal development and in a particular sector or role.

Participants on the programme are individuals aged 19+ who are either unemployed and in receipt of benefits, or who are learners in receipt of a low wage. As well as the opportunity to acquire valuable English, Maths and digital skills, participants can receive vocational training in one of Access Training’s core sectors and skills, including Construction, Housing, Customer Service, and Business Administration, equipping them with the skills needed to become employment ready.

Corrina Hembury, Managing Director of Access Training (East Midlands), comments on the contract win, 

“Our track record in training people in the East Midlands to either find work or progress in work is second to none. We remain the only independent training provider in the East Midlands that ranks in the top 5% of apprenticeship providers in England for overall learner and employer satisfaction rates, according to the Department for Education’s FE Choices Employer Satisfaction survey.

“Tailoring what we do to meet the needs of each individual learner and business is what sets us apart as a training partner. Our delivery of this contract is no different. We are offering different programme designs and lengths across functional skills, digital skills, employability and vocational qualifications, and blending online and face-to-face learning so that we can reach as many of our region’s learners and employers as possible.”

It is expected that the first cohort of learners will begin the programme in September. The only requirement from an employer is that they offer a guarantee of interview for all candidates on their SWAP programme.