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The South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership has now
formally closed as a registered limited company.
To stay updated on the latest economic developments throughout the region, we encourage you to visit the South East Midlands Growth Hub. The SEM Growth Hub also provides free business advice and guidance to all businesses, manages funding and grant programmes and has an extensive resource library where businesses can find additional support.
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Define your career - Take control this winter.
Employment Support
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Define your career - Take control this winter.
Employment Support
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Define your career - Take control this winter.
Employment Support
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- Employment Support Barriers To Work
Employment support: Experiencing barriers to work (individuals & employers)
Many job seekers experience one or more barriers to employment during their careers.
Although this can make finding and maintaining employment more difficult, it is not impossible. Below are a selection of resources available in the area to support you to tackle barriers and offer advice.
In the South East Midlands, there is a variety of skills development institutes and training support available. Whether you're looking to develop basic skills or improve your English language, you can access support. Take a look below:
Basic Digital Skills: Introduction to digital
- Barnfield College
- Bedford College
- Central Bedfordshire College
- Milton Keynes College
- Northampton College
- Tresham College
- Corby and Kettering Learning Centres
- Futures
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service
- Luton Adult Community Learning
- Northamptonshire Adult Learning
- Skills for Tomorrow
- The Skills Toolkit
- Work for Us
- Diverse FM
- Disability Resource Centre
- CYCD
- Polish British Integration Centre Autism Beds
- Milton Keynes Dons
- Princes Trust
- Age UK
- Talkback
- FastTrack JobMatch
- Barnfield College
- Bedford College
- Central Bedfordshire College
- Milton Keynes College
- Northampton College
- Tresham College
- Futures
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service
- Luton Adult Community Learning
- Northamptonshire Adult Learning
- The Skills Toolkit
- Diverse FM
- CYCD
- Polish British Integration Centre Autism Beds
- Reactiv8
- Milton Keynes Dons
- Age UK
- Talkback
- FastTrack JobMatch
Literacy
- Barnfield College
- Bedford College
- Central Bedfordshire College
- Milton Keynes College
- Northampton College
- Tresham College
- Futures
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service
- Luton Adult Community Learning
- Northamptonshire Adult Learning
- Diverse FM
- CYCD
- Polish British Integration Centre Autism Beds
- Reactiv8
- Milton Keynes Dons
- Age UK
- Talkback
- FastTrack JobMatch
English as a second official language (ESOL)
- Barnfield College
- Bedford College
- Central Bedfordshire College
- Milton Keynes College
- Northampton College
- Tresham College
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service
- Luton Adult Community Learning
- Northamptonshire Adult Learning
- CYCD
- Polish British Integration Centre Autism Beds
- Milton Keynes Dons
- Age UK
- FastTrack JobMatch
With working from home on the rise, digital skills have never been more important. To help you to develop key digital skills, local colleges and learning facilities are offering Microsoft Office training, with a focus on Excel and Word.
- Barnfield College
- Bedford College
- Central Bedfordshire College
- Milton Keynes College
- Moulton College
- Northampton College
- Tresham College
- Corby and Kettering Learning Centres
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service
- Luton Adult Community Learning
- Northamptonshire Adult Learning
- Skills for Tomorrow
- The Skills Toolkit
- Work for Us
- Diverse FM
- Disability Resource Centre
- CYCD
- Polish British Integration Centre Autism Beds
- Milton Keynes Dons
- Princes Trust
- Age UK
- FastTrack JobMatch
In the world of work, self-confidence is really important. To help you to develop confidence, a range of local providers offer support.
- National Careers Service - Futures (Bedfordshire, Luton, Northamptonshire)
- National Careers Service - Adviza (Milton Keynes)
- Prospects (Northamptonshire)
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service
- Luton Adult Community Learning
- Northamptonshire Adult Learning
- Work for Us
- Autism Beds
- Diverse FM
- Disability Resource Centre
- CYCD
- Polish British Integration Centre Autism Beds
- Reactiv8
- Milton Keynes Dons
- Princes Trust
- Age UK
- FastTrack JobMatch
With the internet becoming an integral part of most of our lives, digital poverty is becoming more present. Digital poverty is a lack of digital hardware, software of connectivity.
Support is available through all educational establishments is accessible through these programmes:
Not everyone has access to travel, but travel can be essential to securing employment. These programmes offer travel to/from education, interviews and work.
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service
- Luton Adult Community Learning
- Northamptonshire Adult Learning
- Job Centre Plus – Flexible Support Fund
- Autism Beds
- Disability Resource Centre
- Polish British Integration Centre Autism Beds
- Reactiv8
- Age UK
- Talkback
- FastTrack JobMatch
Accessing affordable childcare which fits in with your employment can be challenging. The resources below offer childcare support, advice and guidance.
If you have a disability, you may be worried it'll limit your job prospects or you will not be able to find work.
In the area and nationally, there is a lot of guidance, support and training to help you into employment. Take a look:
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service
- Luton Adult Community Learning
- Northamptonshire Adult Learning
- Job Centre Plus – Flexible Support Fund
- Disability Confident
- B Reason-ABLE
- Track
- National Careers Service - Futures (Bedfordshire, Luton, Northamptonshire)
- National Careers Service - Adviza (Milton Keynes)
- SEMLEP's Growth Hub
- Autism Beds
- Diverse FM
- Disability Resource Centre
- CYCD
- Polish British Integration Centre Autism Beds
- Reactiv8
- Milton Keynes Dons
- Princes Trust
- Talkback
- FastTrack JobMatch
Equality and inclusivity are key to a successful workforce. If your experiencing barriers to employment because of your age, sexual orientation or race, take a look at the support available to help you.
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service
- Luton Adult Community Learning
- Northamptonshire Adult Learning
- Job Centre Plus
- See potential: Employer information pack
- Guide to Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
- Business in the Community Toolkits
- Covid-19: Ethnicity and Economic Impact
- Black Young Professional Network
- National Careers Service - Futures (Bedfordshire, Luton, Northamptonshire)
- National Careers Service - Adviza (Milton Keynes)
- Employing Prisoners and Ex-Offenders
- Social Mobility in the Workplace Employers Guide
- SEMLEP's Growth Hub
- Autism Beds
- Diverse FM
- Disability Resource Centre
- CYCD
- Polish British Integration Centre Autism Beds
- Reactiv8
- Milton Keynes Dons
- Princes Trust
- Age UK
- Talkback
- FastTrack JobMatch
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